


We're Keeping Her

by Sammy_Scripts



Category: Brawl Stars (Video Game)
Genre: Action, Angst, Betrayal, Character Development, Cover Art, Emotional, Family Fluff, Fights, Fluff, Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-13
Updated: 2020-11-20
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:27:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 11
Words: 50,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27277231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sammy_Scripts/pseuds/Sammy_Scripts
Summary: A simple mix-up leads to an amazing story of family, friendship, and of course an awesome final battle.
Comments: 18
Kudos: 13





	1. A Simple Mistake

A torrential rainstorm had taken over the night sky. The sound of rushing water blending in with the cars speeding by. The few lamp posts lining the street illuminated the sidewalk for pedestrians navigating the storm. Deep within the dark recesses of the town (hidden between the inky black alleyways and brick townhouses) neon refracted off the sheets of rain.

A large building sat in the bowels of this shady city. A diner of sorts with bright lights and a big sign reading ‘Bull’s’ underneath a giant cartoon skull. The smooth sound of a subtle bass tune could be heard leaking from the front door.

Inside, soft blue and black lights filled the room. Men and women could be seen moving around the diner in 80’s styled attire. The waiters and waitresses dressed in bright white aprons with striped shirts. The smell of grease and cigarettes choked the room’s atmosphere, but the emotional environment was lively as ever.

The back corner of the room housed a small dance floor. The black and white tiles seeming to shine under the unique lighting. A large red and yellow jukebox sat against the wall, pulsing with a rainbow of vibrant colors.

In the kitchen, several large gruff men were following orders being barked by their head chef. A young woman with a large black pompadour standing on top of a small footstool. Rather than a white apron, she wore a dark purple jacket with a metallic bat over her shoulder. Her intimidating glare chilling the men to their bones.

Behind the diner, the filthy black alleys reeked from the trash piling up in the oversized bins. The backdoor flying open as two men rushed inside. One, a small stout male with a beanie and dark clothes leading the way. The other a large man standing roughly six feet tall, a large black bag slung over his shoulder. The water they tracked with them causing their boots to squeak under their weight.

They made their way through the kitchen, stealing a glance at the bat-wielding woman as they moved for a door in the corner. A dark stairwell leading to an old wooden door sitting at the bottom. The sound of distant rumbles vibrating the floors.

As they walked into the room, they adjusted to the smell of cigar smoke and organ quaking bass. Around them, several men sat at a poker table. A woman in a scantily-clad dress made her way around the table with drinks on a platter.

The two men stood in the doorway waiting for the current round to end. They watched as the largest man pushed a large stack of chips forward. Most of the players folding their cards on instinct. One competitor stayed in the game. A small man with a large black hood covering his head. The way his face was hidden in the shadows gave him the look of a grim reaper. The flop was shown; King of Clubs, 8 of Diamonds, and 9 of Clubs.

The air grew heavy as the ball was back in the largest male’s corner. They watched as he pushed a smaller pile forward. The smaller male matching him. The next card to fall was the 6 of Hearts. The table and bystanders sat on the edge, waiting for the next move.

The larger male tapped the table signaling a check. The younger male sat silent. With his face hidden there was no clue what he was thinking. The table was surprised to see him push forward some more chips. With the size of their respective piles, it wouldn’t hurt them to play but the momentum was now set. The larger male matched his call and awaited the river.

The final card fell like a rock. 2 of Spades. Now the game was set in stone. The final moves had to be made. The larger male checked once more. Without a second thought, the smaller male pushed a chunk of his pile forward. The larger man had enough to match twice over, but with the cards on the ground; a bluff was unlikely.

He took a deep breath, matching the call, using his massive palms to push the necessary tokens forwards. For the first time since they entered, the smaller man spoke. “Sorry boss, but I believe I’ve won.” He proudly showed his hand. A pair of eights. The dealer looking down at his three of a kind with an impressed face. It was quite a large sum of money to place on a three of a kind. Now the question was, could the boss beat it?

The large male rose from his seat. His massive body nearly touching the top of the low hanging roof. A few of the men backed off at his sudden movement. The dealer taking a step back from the table.

They all were relieved when they saw him smile. “Not bad…” his voice was low and gravely. The youth in his voice still audible but his incredible bass still shaking the room. He threw his cards on the table, ten of hearts and seven of spades. The bystander’s murmured congratulations as he raked in his rewards, “But I’m better.”

The smaller man chuckled softly, his voice deep much like his boss’, “Well that’s why you’re the boss.” The sound of his speech almost mimicking the largest man.

The two laughed to themselves, “You almost had me, C.” The boss went to signal for the dealer to start the next round, but the soft hand of the server caused him to pause.

She softly whispered in his ear, the large man turning to see the two men standing by the door. He thanked her as he signaled to his previous opponent. The two men leaving the table as they made their way to a branching room.

The smaller hooded male waved the two men over. The room they stood in was barren. A single light bulb hanging from the ceiling above a shabby wooden chair. The boss took over, “Sit ‘em down.”

The larger of the two men placed the black bag in the chair. The bag shifted as it sat in the decrepit chair, a light groan leaking between the fabric. The boss walked around the chair once, inspecting the bag. He rested his hands against the back of the chair. “How was your trip?” the bag shifted some more. “Good. Do you know why you’re here?” The bag didn’t respond, but he didn’t stop.

“It’s cause you’re special. A kid with your talents is like finding raw diamonds above ground. Insanely impossible to find and honestly hard to believe. Talent like yours can be trained to change the world. The issue is… you were wasting your talents in that village.” The boss moved past the captured child. As he stood before the body, he smiled down at it. His oversized golden nose ring resting against his upper lip, “However, here… with my family… there is no wasted potential… Crow?”

Behind him, the smaller man slowly removed his hood. His large gray beak glowing in the dim light cast by the hanging bulb. A large scar resting on top in the form of an ‘X’. His cold black eyes emotionless as he looked forward. The eyes of a creature who had lost touch with humanity. His black feathers seeming to suck in all the light within the room.

The boss pointed at him as he continued, “Look at him. The face of a man that has found his calling. When I first found him, he was stealing food from windows. Now, he reaps souls from bodies. Crow, show the kid your daggers.” Crow’s eyes were still lifeless as he stared at the body bag. The boss angrily faced him, “I said show him.”

Crow deadpanned, “His head is covered.”

The boss turned back to the body bag, smiling at his mistake. “My apologies. You haven’t even seen our faces. Stand up, boy.” He lifted him to his feet. The kid just reaching his waist. He kept his eyes closed as he effortlessly ripped the bag off. Without looking back, he pushed the kid back in his chair. “Don’t mind the barren room, the top is much nicer.”

The two men in the corner smiled on as their boss continued his pompous speech. Crow’s eyes were still lifeless, but he squinted as he stared past his leader. The boss let out a deep chortle, “Excuse me. I haven’t even introduced myself. My name is… well, my real name doesn’t matter. Most members of the family just call me boss. But I like you… so you can call me… Bull.”

Bull fiddled with his golden nose ring as he smirked at his introduction, “Now that you know mine. Tell us… what’s yours?” He stayed silent awaiting a response, “Scared? I understand.”

“That… or she’s asleep…” Crow muttered.

Bull looked his way at the statement. “Asleep? …SHE?!” Bull whipped around to the kid. Sitting in the chair, their hands cuffed together, was a small girl with a bear pelt atop her head. The child was dressed in a teal robe with a blue paw necklace resting on her chest. Bull and Crow slowly approached; her mouth parted as a light breeze escaped her lips. Her extra sharp K-9 teeth were comparable to daggers.

Bull stood up straight as he processed the image. His neck snapping in the direction of the two men that brought the child. They both were smiling as he slowly approached them. His face was not enraged but confused, “What are your names again?”

The smaller of the two spoke up, “I’m Zoran. And he’s Reginald, sir!” he stood straight with a smile as the larger male just grunted.

“Great… Tell me (cause my memory is foggy), what did I tell you to do?”

“To grab the special kid, sir!”

“That’s what I thought.” Bull used his left hand to grip Zoran’s shirt, lifting him high above his head. Reginald moved to stop his boss but was quickly immobilized by a punch to the gut. The air rushing from his lungs as he doubled over in pain. With Zoran above his head, he pointed to the girl, “Who is that?”

“It’s the kid!”

Bull took a deep breath. His voice calm but filled with a hidden rage, “I said the kid with the superpowers. Not some random girl.” His grip tightened as he slammed him against the wall again. Below him, Reginald tried to stand up only to be crushed under Bull’s heel.

Zoran shook the growing headache and formed a response, “W-Well sir, this girl was being treated like a little ideal in the village. And you never told us the gender.”

He smashed him against the wall again. “Excuses,” he grunted.

“P-Plus! It was dark and hard to see!”

“And that’s just bullshit.” Bull sighed as he pinched the brim of his nose, “I swear. What happened to efficiency? Reliability?” Bull put Zoran down as he looked back at the child. Crow was poking her cheeks and inspecting her arms. Bull whistled to get his attention, “Get my Triple-Barrel.”

Zoran flinched at the mention of the devilish device that Bull created. He tried to sneak past him, but Bull palmed his face without looking. With minimal effort, he lifted him up and smushed his face against the walls again. Crow walked out of the room, ignoring the pained mumbles of Zoran and Reginald. When he returned Zoran was in tears as Bull just shook his head at the minion.

Crow passed the oversized shotgun to Bull, the massive man gripping it with one hand as he rested the barrel on his stomach. The three giant holes pinching Zoran’s liver as Bull fiddled with the trigger. “Come on, Zorak. Die like a man.” He pulled the trigger, the sound of light clicks filling the room. Bull checked the gun, pulling the trigger some more before turning to Crow. “Did you check if it had ammo?”

Crow put on his forced smile, “Sorry. I do not use guns.”

“Go get me some ammo.” Bull watched Crow slowly slink out the room. “Damn… there just isn’t good help anymore. First Reggie down there can’t take a punch.” He turned to Zoran, “You can’t properly kidnap a child. Next, you’re gonna tell me that B-”

Bull paused as he had a realization. He looked to the two minions that screwed up, “I didn’t just send you two.” In a rage he stomped down on Reginald’s back, his ribs cracking like popcorn under his feet. His anger carried over to the unlucky Zoran whose head was still in his grasp. The sickening thud of his skull smashing against the stone wall would have churned the stomachs of anyone listening. The smaller male slid down the wall as a little crack was left where he was slammed.

Bull threw open the door as Crow turned a corner with shotgun shells in hand, “WHERE’S BROCK!?”

* * *

The smell of freshly tilled dirt is oddly pleasing. That natural scent that you can only get from the great outdoors. The clean air, the blue skies, the creepy critters running down your spine.

'Something about that feels off…'

He opened up his crust-filled eyes. His body aching from sleeping on the cold, hard ground. He tried to scratch his head but felt his arms bound behind his back. The taste of twine filling his mouth as he bit down on a rope gag. His mind started racing as he tried to remember what happened last night.

The events flew by in a blur. He and two of Bull's cronies were sneaking through the village. A tiny tent with two people sleeping inside. Then he remembered getting tripped by some strange tool.

'Those punks left me?!' he raged internally. He tried to sit up, but his feet were bound together as well. He tried screaming for help, but his voice was muffled by the gag. His eyes wandered around the room he was in. There was no flooring like a modern home. The table he saw against the wall was about as high as his shins and made of unpolished wood.

As his head wandered, he came face to face with the beady eyes of a deer. His body locking up till he saw it was just a stuffed head. He followed the neck expecting to see a mantle connected, but instead saw a thick trail of blood pooling on the floor. His blood chilled at the sight, the carcass in the corner spilling a deep crimson red. A blood-stained blade protruding from its torso.

The African American male squirmed as he started to realize his location. 'Why Me?!' He wriggled on the ground, his blue jean jacket and white shirt getting smudged as he tried to move. He threw himself on his back, finally getting to a sitting position. Using the tiny table as a brace, he hoisted himself to his feet. The now hopping man celebrating his regained mobility.

He took a second to inspect the room. He noticed the walls were made of some strange fabric. He rubbed against it with his elbow, a strange leathery feeling yet somewhat flesh-like. On the table, he saw a large bow with some strange ballpoint arrows to the side. The bow's ends decorated with what seemed to be eagle heads.

He turned back to the partition in the strange room. A little inkling of light seeping inside. Slowly, he hopped towards the exit. His heart racing as he tried to formulate a plan. His progress was halted when the tarp was pushed open, a giant man making his way inside. The male fell backward on his rear, his eyes meeting the giant's.

There was a drastic difference in their faces. The trapped man was filled with fear and confusion, a desperate cry for help in his eyes. The new giant was frustrated or rather annoyed at his presence. He watched as the giant man snatched the blade from the deer's body. He started screaming under his gag to voice his discourse. The giant man slowly approaching him. He watched as the giant clever stood high above his head, like a guillotine during the French revolution.

"Tomo…"

The sound of a fatherly voice stopped the giant. Tomo turned around causing the trapped man to follow his stare. Standing at the entrance was a large male. Not massive like the monster that entered first, but a very intimidating build on his body. He noticed the large chest and broad shoulders that he must have gained with rigorous training. Though the strangest part of him was the Eagle head he wore like a hat.

"There is no need to slaughter this one."

Tomo grunted as he moved past the newcomer, using the cleaver to cut and tear at the deer. The trapped man watched as the newcomer slowly walked towards him. He seemed to pull a primitive knife from thin air. He squirmed and begged for forgiveness, but he stopped fighting once the man stood behind him. His body clenching up, as the new man slowly cut the rope gag from his mouth.

He took a deep breath, working his jaw before he spoke, "Thanks…" His voice was a higher pitch than the others. More upbeat like a pop singer but still masculine like a mobster.

"My apologies, my people were very scared when you suddenly appeared last night. Had I been awake, I would not have let them separate you from your friends," he removed the restraints on his arms next. "We have not been given proper introductions…" the Eagle-headed man sat down with his feet under his rear. "My name… is Bo. I am the leader of this village."

The outsider massaged his chin while he worked his shoulders, "Name's Brock."

"Brock. We share the same first letter." Bo slowly moved his hands behind his back. When they were within view, the knife was gone. The two sat in silence for a second; the only sound gracing the air being the voices of people outside and the sound of slicing flesh from Tomo. Brock was about to break the silence when Bo continued, "Tell me… why have you come to our village?" A soft smile on his face as he awaited a response.

Brock gulped as his mind started to race. Their true intentions needed to stay a secret. Based on Bo's question and his kindness, he assumed Bo didn't know what happened last night. "We were just a group of sightseers that got a little too close for comfort."

"Really?"

"Yeah! When we saw the village, we thought it was abandoned so we just walked in to look at all the tents. Ya'know? Like a nature reserve?"

"You thought the village was abandoned?" Bo slowly walked towards the opening, pulling the tarp back, "Then what about the giant pyre we had burning all night?" Directly in front of them was a giant wooden structure. A giant billow of black smoke disappearing in the sky as three villagers threw water at the base.

Brock started sweating as Bo slowly closed the tarp, shutting them off from any observers. Bo's smile was still small as he returned to a seated position before Brock. He looked down to the side as if to ponder something, "Tomo…" The giant stood behind him, his giant clever resting against his hip. "I shall give you another chance. Why did you visit our village?"

Brock could feel his heart palpitating at the growing threat. The air in what he assumed to be a massive tent seemed to be choking him. "O-Okay… we came to steal your food." Brock tried to look away from Bo's dangerously calm stare.

Bo's smile grew, "Well… you told half the truth. The villagers that captured you told me they saw your two men throw a black bag inside a vehicle. However, we keep a very sharp check on our food supplies. When I heard you were captured, I told them to run an inventory check on all our food. An apple or two was taken but… not enough to fill that bag your men ran with. So I ask again… what did you take?"

Brock was starting to lose it. 'He knows… he knows and he's just toying with me… he's gonna kill me.' He tried to reason out how to deal with his predicament. Thinking about how telling the truth might save his skin. Then he remembered the punishment for betraying Bull. "Okay, you got us. We stole your treasures."

Bo's smile grew larger, "No… we are not a village that would waste our time on such worldly pleasures. Though the few trinkets we do keep are under close guard," Bo tapped Tomo's arm. Brock watched as the giant passed the large bow to Bo. He knocked an arrow but hadn't pointed it yet, "One more chance…" he aimed for Brock's head. "What… did… you take?"

Brock started panicking, "Come on man. You're not gonna shoot me with fake arrows, right? You don't seem like the kind of guy to torture."

Bo's smile grew dangerously large, "My friend…" Bo let an arrow fly. Brock shook as a tiny explosion rocked the ground beside him. The dirt that flew from the tiny crater colliding with his sweaty face. He slowly turned back to Bo, "There is nothing fake about these arrows."

"Chieftain Bo!"

The three men turned to a new voice. Brock saw a small boy appear from behind. He wore radically different clothing than his chief or the monster Tomo. A bright green hoodie with a red felt-tongue dangling above his face plus two blue buttons on his head. Upon closer inspection, he noticed the sewn-on tail and bright yellow stripe running down his back. The hoodie gave him the look of a cartoon chameleon.

Bo turned to the boy, "Why are you here little one?"

Another body rushed into the tent. A large dark-skinned woman with a comically large afro filled with random flowers and leaves. She stood a little higher than Bo, her body muscular as she bent over panting for air, "I'm… sorry… Bo. He outran me." Her British accent grabbing their attention. Brock didn't hear what she said, his eyes were focused on the chiseled abs she showed under her purple tank top.

"Hey, sexy thang!" Brock called while he sat on the ground. He tried his best to get in a cool position with his legs still bound, "What's yo name?"

"Rosa," she deadpanned.

"Name's Brock. Yaknow, I'm not a big nature guy but… (heh) I'm trying to stop and smell your roses~"

Rosa and the other villagers just stared at the pickup line. "Right. Now Leon we need to leave them alone. The adults are talking." Rosa reached down to take his arm. The boy snatching it away.

"I'm not some little kid! I'm 16!"

Brock scoffed at the statement, "Pretty short for a sixteen-year-old."

Leon groaned before turning back to Bo, "I need to talk to you."

Bo looked back to Brock, "I am currently conducting village business. We shall talk later. Now go."

Rosa grabbed his arm. Leon tried to fight back but her grip was unbreakable. As she dragged him away, he shouted one final phrase, "I can't find Nita!" Bo didn't stop looking at Brock. The outsider's eyes widening at the boy's statement. Rosa stopped pulling when she heard his problem. The small boy escaped her distracted grip running up to Bo. He didn't stand in front of him, but he could see part of his face from the side. "When I woke up this morning… she was gone. I went to Rosa and Bea's greenhouse, but she wasn't there so I came looking for you. Rosa kept telling me to wait till you were done, but I'm worried. She's never gone this long."

Bo's face was hidden under the beak of his eagle hat. The only visible section was his mouth. An emotionless expression that no one could read, "Have you tried checking the woods?"

"Of course, I checked the woods, I didn't see her at any of her usual spots."

"The shadows hold many secrets. Perhaps you haven't been looking in the right places."

"…Bo?"

Bo finally raised his head, his eyes visible. An intense gaze staring down at Leon as he gruffly stated, "Go."

Leon stood down at the change in his mood. His face was hidden under his hood, but his mouth showed his emotions. A frustrating amount of anger at being dismissed by his chieftain. The boy walked past Rosa as she apologized for the interruption.

Now it was Brock, Tomo, and Bo. The three men sitting in the giant tent silently. A breeze flew through the opening, the few hairs that stuck out of Bo's hat dancing in the wind. He turned to Tomo, "Get the water and wax."

Brock started floundering, "L-look man. I haven't done anything wrong. I'm just a minion. I would never do anything to harm your pretty village."

Bo didn't respond, he just stared at Brock. His eyes were hidden but his lips were turned downward. When Tomo returned he had two bowls in hand; one was filled with fresh water, the other had little steam lines rising with molten wax inside.

Brock watched as Bo approached the two bowls. "Grab our friend a seat." Tomo exited again, Bo turned to Brock. "The hands never lie. All the atrocities people commit, the lies they tell, the secrets they keep. It can all be seen on one's palms. They are like gateways to the soul. When our people die, we wrap their arms in wax and cloth to keep them preserved just long enough to be judged by the great Hukm in the afterlife." Bo took a deep breath before dunking his hands inside the wax.

Brock watched as he ground his teeth, baring the pain as he grew accustomed to the feeling. He slowly turned to Brock, his face fully visible. His eyes were no longer soft and condescending, now he openly showed his malice. Tomo returned with a small wooden chair. He forced Brock into the seat, holding his shoulders down from behind. Bo once again pulled the knife from behind his back, "What I have just done, is preserve my hands. My legacy, my life. So that what happens next, can easily be wiped away."

"I swear… we didn't wanna take the girl. The boss told us too." Brock tried to move but Tomo's massive palms were like cinderblocks. "W-What are ya gonna do?"

Bo looked down at his knife, then threw it away. The blade settling on the dirt floor, "I'm not gonna do anything."

Brock looked to Bo for some explanation, until a sharp pain graced his cheek. He reached up to touch the spot, a small amount of blood gracing his fingers. "Hundreds of years ago the Ardacians would kill their enemies… with 100 cuts to the body." Brock looked around the room. He turned to Tomo and Bo for the source of the voice, but their mouths were sealed shut. The soft voice continued speaking, "They would be very careful to avoid any major arteries… so that the victim would stay alive for as long as possible."

In a shimmer of smoke, a green figure appeared beside Bo. When he showed up, three more cuts appeared on Brock's body. A matching cut on his opposite cheek, and two slits on each side of his neck. The warm blood trickling down into his shirt. The boy that had revealed the missing girl when he first entered the tent, appeared from thin air. Within his hands were four circular razor blades, their teeth spiked as if to cut metal. "You have just experienced your first 4 cuts."

Brock shivered at the realization. Before it was just fear talking, but now he was sure. 'I'm gonna die.'

Leon stood ahead of him, looking him directly in the eyes. Leon got close enough for Brock to see one of his eyes, a bright green jewel that seemed to shine like gemstones. Brock found his voice stuck in his throat as Leon spoke, "You get one more chance. Where… is… my sister?"

Brock lost all control of his tongue, "It was you…" The men within the tent all paused at the statement. Brock's sliced face was mystified by Leon's presence, "It was supposed to be you."

A strange sound filled the expansive tent. Bo moved past Leon, reaching into Brock's pocket. There was a strange device with the words, 'Hot Head', in all caps. Bo presented the device to Brock. Leon backed up, his face disappearing under his hood. Brock refocused, his head feeling fuzzy as he started adjusting to the new stimulus.

He took the phone from Bo, whimpering when he saw the name. He shakily swiped the answer button, "Hello?"

Brock recoiled as a muffled voice roared from the device. Tomo stared on in wonder at the tiny device's ability to talk. Leon and Bo were a little more experienced with such wizardry. They had seen Rosa and Bea using similar devices within their greenhouse, they believed it was called a 'telephone'.

"Umm…" Brock continued. "I made a mistake… I know… Sir please you have to understand." The village-men watched as Brock's face contorted, "He's right here!" The hostage fell silent as he waited for a response. Brock locked eyes with Bo. He took the phone from his ear putting it on speaker mode, "They can hear you."

The man on the other line cleared his throat, "Am I speaking to the leader of Ardacia?"

"I am Bo, yes."

"Bo… name's Bull. I don't believe we've met. I am the leader of the most notorious gang in Retropolis. I also own the greatest diner west of Brawltopia."

"I don't believe you called to brag about your achievements."

They listened as the gruff man chuckled in the background. "Right… business. I believe I have something you want."

Leon roared into the phone, "Where's my sister?!"

"The girl… she was not our goal. My companions are… incompetent. An honest mistake, you understand right?"

Bo took the lead again, "Return the child at once."

Bull clicked his tongue, "Now, now… I don't know how it's done in your primitive little reality, but here in civilization. Nothing is free."

Bo and Leon groaned at the stipulation, "What do you want?" Bo asked.

"Well for starters, my underling back." Brock's breath caught in his throat; he was getting turned into a bargaining chip. Worst than that, he wasn't enough by himself. "Plus, well from how the boy jumped at the bit. I'm guessing this little peach is worth a pretty penny."

Leon felt his blood boil. Bull made it sound like Nita was a product. Bo calmed him down as they listened to Bull's demands.

"I want… let's say, 3,000 emeralds for the tike?"

Bo and Leon flinched at the value. Bo was not lying when he said their village did not value money. Their current emerald count might be just below 1,000.

"So… do we have a deal?"

Bo took a deep breath. His brain processing the possibility of gaining the currency required. Just as he thought up a response Leon jumped forward, "We'll get the money. We just need time."

"You have a week."

Bo allowed the stipulation to sink. "Deal."

Bull let out a menacing laugh, "We'll meet in the desert just outside of Tara's Bazaar. Pleasure doing business with ya."

"Wait! Let me talk to her!"

The line fell silent for a moment, "I would love to let you talk to her. But she's fast asleep… wouldn't wanna wake your little sister, would we?" Leon strained to speak up but Bull continued, "Oh and Brock…"

"Y-Yes?"

"Be nice to your new friends."

The sound of the line cutting left the room in silence. In a rage, Leon let eight blades fly from his hands. The dangerous discs ripping through the animal skin tent. A few villagers noticed the outburst, peaking into the tent to see what caused the mess.

From the front tarp, Rosa peeked her head inside. "What happened?"

Bo took off his eagle hat, his long black hair falling on his shoulders. He moved to the cool bowl of water and rag, "This is going to take a while to explain."

* * *

Bull put down his phone. What started as a call to punish Brock turned into an incredibly profitable deal. Blending in with the shadows, Crow crept up to Bull's desk. "So, you made another steal?"

"Trust me, with time… you'll learn how to be a businessman."

Crow's face was still flaccid, but his mind was deep in thought. "I'm confused. Wasn't the goal of the mission to retrieve a superhuman boy?"

Bull reached for a large maroon cigar box. Casually lighting a stogie as he explained, "You weren't listening my friend. Brock said, 'He's here.'" Bull tapped the ashes off the tip, "And did ya hear that boy screaming about his sister. That… is our target."

Crow nodded his head, the mechanisms in his mind starting to connect the dots. Though he still felt like he was missing some points, "How do you know the boy will be there?"

"Based on her size and his demeanor, he's the older brother. No way in hell he doesn't show up."

"And if he does?"

"We snatch him up alongside the money. And we dump the girl off with them." Bull stood up from his desk, making his way towards his office's door.

Crow held the bottom of his beak, "Why not keep the girl as well."

Bull walked outside; the few members of his gang allowed downstairs congregating around a small TV. "I'm not taking care of some bratty little girl." Bull looked towards another room branching off from the main area. "How's she doing anyway?"

"She woke up this morning with a million questions. Been a while since I was annoyed by another creature."

Bull slowly cracked open the door, inside was a small air mattress and a bunch of toys. The child was sitting down gazing at a doll they gave her. "What's her name?"

"I believe she called herself, 'Nita the Mighty'."

Bull slowly entered the room, trying his best not to startle her. Nita snapped in his direction, waving brightly up to the mob boss. Bull inspected their surroundings, the room they kept her in was originally used for storage. A few boxes could be seen on the sides. The toys she played with were older dolls that Bull's cousin fished out from her house.

He cleared his throat before speaking, "Hello Nita." He tried his best to make his normally gravelly voice sound soft and friendly.

The girl smiled back, her voice high-pitched and shrill. "Hi~."

Bull crouched down to her level, "Having fun?"

Nita looked down at the doll, "Nah… kinda bored. Usually, I would be playing tag with my brother right now."

Bull nodded with her response, "Yeah, I guess it is pretty boring. But it's best you stay here. Much safer than being out there."

Nita turned her nose up, "I'm not scared of nothing!"

Bull smiled at the tiny terror. He patted her head, shifting the bear pelt atop her scalp. "I bet you aren't. You look pretty strong."

"I'm the strongest in my village!"

Bull chuckled softly, "Sure you are. Can you show me some muscle?"

Nita made a fist, flexing her small biceps. Bull was surprised to see a small bump forming, a sign of actual muscle development. "Wow… Well you showed me yours. How about you see mine." Bull slowly lifted his arm. With all his might, he flexed his bicep. His veins bulging out grotesquely. Nita's mouth hit the floor at the image, "Tell me… ever seen muscles like this?"

"Not even Mr. Bo's that big."

Bull snickered, "Didn't think so."

Nita's eyes were sparkling, "You're awesome Mr… Mr?"

"Call me Bull."

"That's a animal name," she giggled.

"So it is."

Nita was enjoying the conversation. When she woke up inside the strange room the first thing she saw was a giant bird, dressed in black cloths. She remembered the bird talking funny and giving her strange toys. Talking to another human was a nice change.

She was going to say more but Bull began to walk out the tiny room. Before he could leave, she asked a final question, "Where am I?"

Bull paused on his way out. "A safe place."

Crow watched their interaction from the doorway. Bull was surprisingly patient with the child. Listening intently and answering sincerely. When Bull got to the door, Nita excitedly called to him. She kept repeating the words 'Bird Person' as she waved in his direction. Crow awkwardly raised his arm, waving back to her.

As Bull slowly closed the door (an odd yet warm smile on his face) they saw Nita throwing her toy towards the nearby wall. Screeching in delight as it shattered into pieces. When the door shut, Bull's demeanor changed drastically. His face sunk inward as he looked to Crow, "I hate children."

"You had me fooled."

"Getting to the top takes more than just strength. You need social skills. It pays to be a people pleaser, especially if those people can get you money. But kids are so hard to workaround. The little monsters can change their entire demeanor at the drop of a dime. Luckily that also makes them easy to impress." Bull made his way up the stairs to the kitchen.

As they entered, they were greeted by several chefs. Others were rushing around to keep up with the growing orders. They approached the punkish woman, her bat currently pinning a worker against the wall. "Shauna asked for that triple bacon burnout 15 minutes ago! How long does it take you to make a fucking sandwich?!"

Bull sighed at the scene, "cuz…"

The girl didn't hear him over the chef's pleading, "I'm sorry ma'am. I swear I was told to prepare the order for 12 chicken tenders first."

"You don't do shit unless I tell you too!"

Bull spoke a little louder, "Cuz."

The girl continued her attack, "How about I give you an early vacation? Reason for time off? Near-fatal injury!"

"Bibi!"

She turned at the mention of her name. Her vision clearing up when she saw Bull. "Oh, sup little cuz."

Bull groaned at the phrase, "You know I am your boss, right?"

Bibi chuckled at the comment. She let the chef go telling him to get that order finished in five minutes or lose a finger. "No matter how big you get, how much money you have, or your status in this world. You will always be my little Buru(ブル)."

Bull felt his temper rising from her blatant disrespect. "Listen I just wanted to thank you for giving the girl those toys."

"Don't mention it. By the way… how long we keeping the brat?"

"Not long… just a week."

"A week? Ugh… I'm not watching that kid for seven days."

Bull threw his hands up, "Don't worry. I'll have my men take turns guarding her door. She's gonna stay in there all day every day. I just need you to check up on her from time to time."

"Why me?"

"Cause you're a woman. It's good for her to interact with a girl. Or… the closest thing we have to one."

Bibi raised her bat to his chin, "Watch it."

Bull smiled down at his older cousin. He looked to the side as a sink started overflowing with soap suds, "Better get back to work. Looks like you got a mess to clean."

Bibi noticed the overflowing sink, "Dammit… Maxwell! Get your ass over here and clean this!"

Bull and Crow walked towards the kitchen door. Before they made their way to the main dining room Bull inspected his companion. He had ditched his usual hoodie for a leather jacket much like his, "No hood today?"

Crow shrugged his shoulders, "Most people in the morning seem to like my presence."

Bull thought for a second, "You mean the old salty codgers, right?"

Crow's face genuinely seemed to brighten, "They smell just like death."

Bull laughed as he pushed open the door. The bright lights of the morning sun pouring through the windows. A few older men and women sitting at the counter called for Crow to join them. The birdman gladly joining them as they ate their breakfast. Bull took a deep breath, "7 days before everything changes."


	2. A Surprising Event

5 days till everything changes.

Bull opened the door to his diner slowly. Wiping the barrel of his giant gun as he greeted the customers. Behind him were some of his minions and his right-hand bird-man, Crow. The feathered fiend wiping a strange liquid off his daggers’ tips.

One customer (who seemed to be enjoying a bit of day drinking) called to the group. “Hey, Bull. Where you coming from man?”

Bull calmly turned to the tipsy man, “Just finished some work.”

“Eh, right… ‘work’.” The man approached him groggily. His speech was incredibly slurred as he tried to converse with the owner. “I know what your ‘work’ is. Tell me, who you kill today?”

Crow reached into his sleeve for a few blades. His senses on high alert as he prepared for the drunk to make a sudden move. Bull spoke up, “No deaths, just tax collecting.”

The drunk laughed wildly from his response, falling onto Bull as he lost his footing. Crow moved forward to dispose of the man until Bull raised a hand. He propped the man on his arm, signaling for a waiter, “Get this man a cold glass of water and a warm towel.”

He softly shooed the man back to his seat at the counter. Bull signaled for his men to follow him to the back. As they entered the kitchen Crow spoke up, “What was that?” Bull hummed for him to continue, “Why did you let that creep talk to you like that?”

He turned to a waitress with a platter of dirty dishes. “Tell me, dear, how many drinks has that man at the counter had?” He pointed through the window at the drunk from before.

“I dunno, Mr. Bull sir. But at one point he just said to put two mugs in front of him and keep one full at all times.”

“Has he paid?”

“Every time.”

Bull turned back to Crow, “That creep… is a valuable customer.”

As he and his men made their way downstairs, he could hear grunting coming from the other side of the door. When he opened it he saw a man get thrown across the room, his body sliding into a nearby wall. Bull turned to the direction he flew from, his cousin Bibi standing tall as she laughed at the man.

“See that… now you give it a try.” She beckoned for another man to come to her side. She pulled him by his collar whispering in his ear, “You better make her believe she launched you to the fucking moon!”

Bull looked around the corner, his mood dampening at the sight. Standing beside Bibi, radiating a sickening amount of light was Nita. The wild child excitedly bouncing up and down as the random minion walked up to her.

Bull dismissed his men, most moving about their day while Crow decided to stay and watch the show. Bull approached his cousin, “What’s going on?”

“Took ya long enough… you gotta see this kid. She’s amazing! A natural even.” Bibi pushed the minion towards her. Nita was still bouncing with glee as she waited for Bibi’s permission. “Go ahead.”

“What’s she gonna-“

Nita jumped up to the minion's chest, grabbing fist fulls of his shirt. “What ya staring at ugly?! Never seen a kid in a bear pelt? Wanna know how I got this pelt? Killed the bear with my bare hands!” Nita excitedly turned to Bibi.

The batter gave her two thumbs up, her pride visibly showing in her smile. She motioned for Nita to keep going.

The minion was confused as he tried to process her flippant emotions. Nita was unrelenting in her attack, “What’s wrong tough guy? Got something to say?” The minion started to stutter out a response, Nita cutting him off just like Bibi taught her. “Uh-Uh. Oh, come on… you’re not pretty enough to be this stupid.”

Bull and Crow both recoiled from that line. Bibi took notice of their reactions, smugly nudging Bull’s arm. The boss rolled his eyes, dismissing her taunts. Bibi didn’t let Bull ruin her mood, “Atta girl. Now throw him as hard as you can.”

Nita stopped her verbal assault at the request. She jumped down from his chest, a perplexed look directed at Bibi. “You want me to throw him?” Bibi nodded her head. Nita looked down, her hand resting against her cheek. Her pelt allowed most of her face to remain hidden. However, her eyes were still visible. Her pupils vanished from her corneas, those white husks convening most of her emotions. Currently, those bright white eyes were squinted, signaling deep thought. “As hard as I can?”

“Yep. Just like I did.”

Nita seemed flabbergasted, “Max strength?”

Crow grew interested in the discussion. His voice was low, but he sounded strangely alive, “Give it everything you got kid.”

Nita mumbled under her hand, “Huh… no one at the village ever lets me use max strength.”

The minion was the only one close enough to hear her statement. The sound of subtle coughing caught his ear. He turned to Bibi, her eyes sharp as needles as she mimicked slicing her throat. A clear message no matter what language you spoke. He started thinking of how to launch himself across the room. Maybe the kid would grab him by his shirttail? Or perhaps she would just try to drag him?

His thoughts were halted when he felt his feet leaving the ground. His body shifting from vertical to horizontal, his world turning upside down. Nita had grabbed hold of his lower back. Lifting him high above her head with ease.

Bull and Bibi’s jaws dropped. The tiny child easily picking the man up as she smiled wildly towards them. The minion squirmed in her grip, but she didn’t release. With an ear-splitting screech, she leaped into the air. The girl reaching up to Bull’s height even with the extra weight. Then like a giant beach ball, she tossed the minion across the room.

The three adults snapped their heads as he shot like a bullet. His body didn’t touch the ground. Instead, he smacked against the wall with a painful splat. His body slowly grinding down the cement partition onto his previously chucked ally.

Bull bent down to Bibi’s ear, “Did you…”

“No… no I did not know that.”

Crow seemed unfazed, “So I was right.” Bull and Bibi both turned to the bird, “Did you not notice? When we first saw her, I noticed her arms were oddly powerful. And her teeth are sharp like an animal.” Crow observed Nita, the young girl jumping with joy at the carnage she created.

“Yay! Yay! No one lets me throw them at a home!”

Crow continued, “That’s when I realized… she’s like us. She’s not normal.”

Nita ran up to the three adults, standing at Bibi’s feet. “Ms. B! Ms. B! How’d I do?”

Bibi was still recovering from the shock, “You… were… awesome!” Bibi snatched the child up in her arms. Nita giggling as she rubbed her cheek against Bibi’s. Never in her life had she liked children. She shared those ideals with Bull. They were annoying and always in the way. But this kid, she was like the daughter she dreamed of having. Bibi stopped her physical affection to get some thoughts off her mind, “How are you so strong?”

“I dunno… Mr. Bo said that I have a spirit inside me.” Bull silently listened from the side.

Bibi continued her praise, “Well that is the most badass spirit ever. You’re the most badass kid ever!”

“What’s ‘badass’?”

Bibi smiled wickedly, “Oh I have so much to teach you. But first,” Bibi took a peek at her clothes. The build-up of dirt was starting to ruin her village-princess look. “Your dress is a mess. Your tights are looking loose. And… where are your shoes?”

“What’s a shoe?”

Bull had heard enough. He quickly walked back into his office while Crow joined in pampering the powerful pint. His body chilled when he noticed a genuine smile across his usually lifeless beak. He tapped Bibi on her shoulder, requesting possession of Nita. She gladly passed her to him, the tiny girl happily smiling up to the boss.

Bull calmly walked to her room. When he stepped inside, he noticed the mattress she was sleeping on had been fitted with sheets and pillows. There was a dirty plate sitting on a tiny table that he didn’t remember putting in the room. He sat Nita down on the mattress. Bibi and Crow watching from the doorway as Bull showed his fatherly side.

“Did you have fun today?”

“Yeah! What else are we doing today?”

The sound of metal clinking was his response. Nita looked down at her wrists, strange metal hoops were locked around her hands with a chain linking them together. The chain reached down to her knees, allowing her mostly unhindered mobility. She looked back up to Bull, confused but interested in what these new toys would intel.

“We’re gonna play ‘Simon Says’.”

Nita’s eyes lit up, “Oh! I know this one! Bea showed me how to play at Rosa’s glass home.”

“Good… you ready to play?” Nita excitedly nodded her head, “Okay. Simon Says…” Bull tapped his chin as he pretended to think up a command. Nita was vibrating as she prepared for her instruction, “Stay in your room.”

Nita froze at the declaration. “But…”

“Simon Says, be quiet.” Nita shut up at the command. He smiled down at her, “Good. Now Simon Says, don’t come out for the rest of the day.”

Nita looked heartbroken at the list of commands. She didn’t want to stay in her room, she was having so much fun with Ms. Bibi. But she didn’t want to lose Simon Says.

Bull walked away from the small girl, his eyes showing genuine joy at her silence. When he turned back around, he saw her heartbroken face. Like a sad puppy wishing for someone to adopt them. And his smile grew even larger.

When the door shut, he felt a metal bar cracking against his skull. His instincts making him recoil and grip his head as he tried to soothe the pain. Standing beside him was his cousin. Her baseball bat in hand and an enraged scowl across her lips. “What is wrong with you?” he groaned.

“What’s wrong with me? What’s wrong with you? Why’d you do that?”

“Do what?”

“Lock her up! She didn’t do anything wrong.”

Bull grunted at her question, “Why do you care? She’s just a hostage.”

“I have been taking care of her for two days now. And I can confidently say, that hanging with her is more fun than any of the boring shit you ask me to do in this diner.”

“Then I’ll let you go on more jobs with me. Happy?”

“That’s not the point!”

Bull stood at his max height, “Listen, she’s not our guest, she’s not our friend. She’s a bargaining chip. There is no reason to treat her any differently.”

Bibi was stunned, “Are you kidding me? Did you forget what we just saw? She’s amazing! She’s literally like a gold mine of untapped potential. And you handcuffed her in the storage room.”

“Our team is strong enough as is. Besides, I have the real prize coming in five days.”

“Prize?!” Bibi pointed to the wall. The two men now recovering as they observed the crack left by her throw. “We could own Brawltopia with power like that. Do you know what she’s gonna be capable of in ten years?”

“In ten years she could be the queen of Brawltopia, and I still wouldn’t care. You dream big, but you don’t have any stability. You lack planning, precautions. Meanwhile, I seek stability. I don’t want to rule Brawltopia, being the king of Retropolis is more than enough.”

Bull moved away from his allies. While Bibi was seething with rage, Crow just silently watched from the side. She continued her rant, “That’s your problem. You're scared. Scared you can’t control that kind of power.” Bibi paused at her realization, “You’re scared you can’t control her.”

Bull calmly stood outside his office door. There was a dangerous tension in the air. Three conflicting emotions trying to find balance in the small room. Bull grumbled before speaking. His voice calm and controlled, “Have you ever had a lucid dream?” Bibi paused awaiting his response. “Lucid dreaming is having full control of the world within your mind. People who master lucid dreaming can change their location at will. Morph their bodies however they want. They can fly, they can move through space, they can warp time. They have full control of their reality and because of that can do whatever they want, whenever they want to.”

Bull turned back to his cousin. Crow noticed the contemplation in his eyes. He was taking his time with this speech. This wasn’t a rage-filled rant or a manipulative play on words. He was being honest.

“That is what I want. True control over my reality.” He turned back to his door. Bibi silent as she tried to process this new man in front of her. “And if you think that being the ruler of Brawltopia gives you unlimited power, you clearly don’t understand politics.” He cracked open his office door. “Five days. Five days and I will have the perfect recruit and the girl can go back home. She’ll be happy there.”

As he walked into his office he left with one final statement, “Now get back to work… rush hour is starting.”


	3. Programmed to Kill, Built to Love

4 days till everything changes.

He would never admit this to the boss, but the morning sky is truly beautiful. The sun rising over the city's skyline as the clouds formed a thick overcast. The cold morning dew forming on the metal plating of nearby buildings. The serene silence of the lifeless streets. It was pure bliss.

Crow sat on the diner's sign, inside the upper circle of the 'B' in 'Bull's'. His left leg dangling over the edge as he toyed with his blades. A bored expression plastered across his face while he watched the sunrise.

A heavenly smell caught his attention. His animal instincts picking up the scent of a freshly baked pie. He hopped out of his resting spot inside of the B to the top of the diner. Standing on the edge, his pupils narrowed to search for the source of the smell. They locked onto an elderly woman placing a pie on her apartment's windowsill.

"Mrs. Corduroy. Apartment 324. Guess she's having family over today." Crow sat down on a nearby power box. The low hum it emitted massaging his backside. "I wonder if she'll let me snag a bite?" Crow let his eyes shut as he reminisced on his past.

He imagined Retropolis twelve years ago. A town with crime running rampant. The only law; survive. He remembered the clothes he used to wear. Ragged clothes and stolen accessories he found around the streets. His eyes sad and sunken as he traversed the shadows alone.

Images of his survival tactics replayed like an action replay. Catching unsuspecting men in alleys and pilfering their wallets and valuables. Pawning off the shiny trinkets to jewelry stores and local collectors. His food consisting of store-bought snacks, fast food, and other people's cooked dinners.

Whenever he traversed the city, he kept a hoodie over his head. Fearful of people's reaction to a half-man, half-bird monster walking the streets. During the summer months, he chose to move during the night lest he suffers a heatstroke.

His mind streamlined to the first day he met Mrs. Corduroy. Or rather, he met her cooking. The same smell he picked up on this morning entering his nostrils. He didn't even give it a second thought, snatching up the pie and resting on a distant rooftop to enjoy his meal. He remembered the taste exploding in his mouth, so many intense flavors that he didn't know existed assaulted his taste buds. He voraciously devoured the pie, lapping at his fingers like the animal he was. When he saw the bottom of the metal pan, he came to one conclusion; he needed more!

He made it a regular deal to visit her window daily. Always looking for a new pie. Each day he saw a treat he would scoop it up while she was away. And for every day there was no pies insight he would groan and wait for an hour hoping she would finish one.

Then one morning, he saw two pies sitting on the windowsill. His heart was palpitating as he celebrated a double payday. When he got to the window, he noticed a note sitting beside the leftmost pie. It read, 'I hope this can fill you up today.'

He couldn't read the note. He was never taught how to read, but he understood the note was for him. He peeked inside the window. Standing over the oven, a smile on her face as she watched him snag her cooking, was the old woman he would later know as Mrs. Corduroy. His face still concealed, he awkwardly waved before jumping away with the pie in hand. When he ate this pie, it tasted especially delicious.

Crow woke up from his daydream, his eyes blinded by the sun leaking through the clouds. He made his way to a nearby hatch. Dropping down into the diner's kitchen. The pearly white tiles sparkling as two men franticly mopped the floors. Crow took notice of the lack of rage within the room. He caught the attention of one of the workers, "Where's Bibi?"

"Oh. She's with Bull on a business trip."

Crow nodded his head as he dismissed the worker. His body running on autopilot as his mind went back to the past. He remembered waiting for another pie from Mrs. Corduroy. His guilt starting to trigger as he realized he was unintentionally making her bake two pies every week. He figured it would be better to search for food elsewhere today. And his eyes were on set on a big target.

He went to his pad, a corner of a cleaner alley that he fitted with glowsticks and stolen sheets from drying clotheslines. The clothes he stole included an all-white hoodie. Perfect for his current job. He made his way to a new diner in Retropolis. A giant skull in the front with music blasting through the front doors. He had inspected the roof countless times before. There was a simple hatch sitting on top with no locking mechanism or security. When he opened the hatch, he saw a few men moving around with aprons and food in hand. A direct path to the kitchen.

His plan was simple; hop in, grab some food, hop out. If only it was that simple. When he first hopped down the hole, he was greeted by a random employee with a raw steak in his hand. His instincts saved him from an abrupt failure as he held the man's mouth shut. His eyes locking onto the freezer and pulling him inside.

After disposing of the witness, he put on the man's apron, keeping his face hidden as he moved along the edges of the kitchen. He instantly realized another miscalculation. Fast-food restaurants have many orders prepared and sitting on a warming rack for speedy service. This diner was not a fast-food restaurant. His brain tried to think up a way to snag some food without getting caught. He decided that the best way to make this happen was to walk out with a finished order.

He bided his time, picking up a mop on the wall and pretending to clean as he watched the main grill closely. His opportunity appeared in the form of a thick and juicy burger sitting in the carryout window. He quickly dropped the mop as he pushed through the rushing workers. He made his way to the door for the main lobby, but it opened inward colliding with his face.

"Oh sorry," the random worker called as he reached down to help him. "I didn't think anyone was on the other-" The worker's breath caught before he could finish the sentence. Crow reached up to rub his head, feeling his feathered skull instead of the soft silk of the hoodie. His bird skull on full display as the workers paused to stare at him.

He started panicking as a circle formed around him, "HEY!" All heads turned as a woman stepped up to the group. Her hair short and curled on the sides with a metal bar in hand. "The hell's going on here? I didn't tell ya to stop."

She stepped in the middle of the group, her eyes locking onto the strange intruder. She smacked on something within her mouth, a pink bubble being blown from her lips. Her eyes traced his body, only pausing on his head for a second, "Who are you?"

He started panicking, he needed to get out before things got worse. He quickly hopped to his feet, pushing the random worker into the circle. Their falling bodies created an opening for him to run through. He dashed forward making his way for the door, but a metal bar collided with his back. He crumbled to the ground, turning on his back in the direction of the flung projectile. The woman who confronted him was rushing in his direction.

He quickly hopped to his feet, his hands rising to his head as he got into a battle stance. He didn't know why he was fighting, his instincts just told him to defend himself. He watched as she threw a wild punch at his head. His body weaving with ease around the blow as it blasted the door.

He quickly ducked under her body now allowing her back to face the lobby. She wildly threw more punches, the bird-man bobbing and weaving her wild blows. One punch haphazardly collided with a hanging pan, the sound causing his ears to painfully ring.

He wrapped his hands around his ear holes. Trying his best to silence that painful noise. She took notice of his disadvantage, landing a thunderous blow to his stomach. The air in his lungs rushing out as he dropped to a knee.

She picked him up by his hoodie, the smaller bird now at eye level with the woman. "Who are you?"

He didn't respond instead, he threw out a stiff hand, chopping her throat. She relinquished her grip, clutching her neck as she tried to breathe. He stood up waiting for her to rise again. When she recovered from the shot, he punched her as hard as he could square in the jaw. His eyes lighting up as he heard the sound of his feathered fists colliding with her face.

While he merrily celebrated, several of the workers ran out of the backdoor. He stood by himself, trying to understand their strange action. Did he scare them off? Was his appearance that unsetting?

He got his answer from the sound of a soft chuckle chilling his bones. He slowly turned back to see the woman still bent over, laughing. Her body shambling towards the metal bar.

His body froze when he saw the ghastly grin across her lips. Her face like that of a possessed woman in a horror film. "Good~" her voice sounded like she was choking on nails. "I actually felt that."

He brought his hands back up, but his body was shaking like a leaf. She brought the bar to her side, holding it like a baseball bat. He slowly took a step back, his body meeting a metallic counter. The woman lunged towards him; a home run swing aimed for his head. He narrowly ducked, the air cracking from the speed of her attack.

Before, her fists flew wildly like an enraged animal. Now her strikes were calculated. Each swing measured as she pushed forward. Every attack aimed to kill. One swing eventually missed wildly; he used the opportunity to land a blow beneath her arm.

Without flinching, she clamped down on his fist. The bird trying to pull his arm free, but her grip was like a vice. She used her free hand to drop a slamming strike with the bar. He leaned away, allowing the bar to clang against the ground. He stomped her toe to try and loosen her grip, but she hooked the bar under his left arm.

He stood there trapped in her grasp, fighting the unprecedented strength of the woman. Without warning, she reeled her head back, smashing it against his beak. The most sensitive part of his body. A painful shock shocking him to his core.

She relinquished her grip on his left arm, using her bar to slam his chest with a bone-breaking swing. The bird rolled backward, colliding into a set of silverware. The sharp utensils rained downward, his hands protecting his head from being punctured. When he looked up, the woman was slowly walking towards him. A smirk on her face as she rested the bar on her shoulder.

"Not bad bird boy. Haven't had someone keep pace with me since my baby cousin." She blew another massive bubble, popping it with her teeth before continuing to taunt him. "Now if I were my cousin, I'd let ya live. Maybe even try to recruit ya. Unfortunately for you," she got close to his face, lifting his chin with her fingers. "I'm not my cousin."

He was getting desperate. He could feel the malice in her voice. Her enjoyment in his pain. She took his face in her hands. Moving him back and forth, observing his features. "Ya know. You almost look cute." Bibi pushed him against the cabinet, his head aching from the pressure. "My mom never let me have any pets. Always said I couldn't take care of it." She snickered as she continued, "She was right you know. I killed the last parrot I had. He was annoying, his constant screeching every night. No one knows how that dog got into his cage. Now that I'm looking at ya, you're kinda reminding me of him."

His hands started moving sporadically. One gripping at her powerful arm while the other searched the floor. His fingers wrapped around a cold piece of steel. Like a flash of lighting, he buried a steak knife deep into her arm. The sound of her blood-curdling screech roaring above the music in the lobby.

She rolled away, ripping the blade from her arm as she watched the wound ooze. He slowly got to his feet, rapidly blinking his eyes to try and fix his fuzzy vision. When he regained sight, he wished his vision was still blurred. What was a scary playful face, had morphed into unbridled rage.

The woman wrapped her hands around a metal bar on a nearby cabinet. It was approximately two feet long and bolted onto the metal door. She ripped it off its hinges, heavy breathing escaping her clenched teeth. A monstrous dash brought her just a few inches from him. Her nose practically touching his beak.

He quickly rolled away, the woman smashing the rod on the counter. She quickly threw the rod at his head. He just barely ducked the incoming projectile. When he turned back, she was rushing him again. His fight or flight instincts kicking in. And right now; it was time to fly.

He ran for the exit, blasting through the flapping doors and into the main lobby. The colored lights were still on, but the party had stopped abruptly. All eyes were on him, many customers gawking at the sight while others started snapping dark pictures. His body naturally recoiled, wanting to go back into hiding, but a terrifying roar made his legs kick into overtime.

As he slinked through the crowds (pushing and shoving the smaller patron) she saw the glass doors of the entrance. A few passing lights signaling cars rushing by. Just as his hands clenched the door, his entire body was lifted into the air.

He looked to his new captor, his stomach falling to his toes at the sight of the man. He was a giant beast of a human with a bright gold nose ring resting against his upper lip. He swore he saw a puff of smoke come out his nostrils before he spoke, "And who are you?" His voice was low and gravely. The sound of his ground-shattering bass seeming to vibrate his internal organs.

He scanned the room from his suspended state, searching for another way out. "Hey. I'm talking to you," the man continued. Another screech could be heard from the kitchen. The giant man turning in the direction, trying to figure out what the sound was. With the giant distracted, he twisted his hips landing a hurricane kick to his cheek.

Many of the customers gasped at the clean hit. But his heart stopped when the man just snorted at the attack. With one hand, he threw him up higher. His body shifting in the air, his face on a collision course with the ground. Just before he slammed into the floor, the giant gripped his foot, dangling him upside down. "Feisty little bastard, huh?"

The kitchen door flew off its hinges. All heads turned as the woman he just ran from searched the lobby. "WHERE IS HE?!"

The giant had his attention on her. In a final escape attempt, he bent his back, reaching into his back pockets. Three knives he grabbed from the floor slipping between his fingers. He threw his hips forward, sending the volley of kitchen tools directly into his chest.

Some bystanders screeched in horror as a thick red liquid shot from his body. The giant man just looked down at the newly opened wounds. His thick black shirt growing darker as a trail started to form down his stomach.

He looked back at the intruder, a smile on his face. He flipped him in the air, his face looking upward at the ceiling. He felt weightless for a second like he was flying just like the birds in the sky. Then the crushing weight of reality came back like a bad dream. Alongside the meteor fist that the man planted into his chest.

His body rocketed down to the floor. It was hard to tell if the crunching noise was the floorboards breaking under the force or his ribs snapping. His body recoiled off the floor, then was mushed under the giant feet of the monster man.

He groaned under his foot, the feeling of his giant boots digging into his liver was driving him mad. His hands tried to claw at the oversized shoes as he felt his body breaking. Then a bar slammed on the ground beside him. He turned to see the woman standing close to him. Her face contorted into a fiendish grin, "I~ Found~ You~"

The giant man looked at the woman's arm, a trail of blood staining her jacket sleeve. That alongside her reaction gave him all the information he needed. He watched as she lifted the bar high above her head, clenching his eyes shut as he accepted his fate. The last memories that ran through his mind were the pies he would miss every week once he was dead.

But the blow never came. Instead, his eyes fell on the arms of the monster man restricting the attack of the enraged woman. He bent down low close to his face, "What's your name?"

He stayed silent as he cowered under the giant.

"I said what's your name?"

He refused to talk. The giant shrugged, giving her the okay to swing. He quickly threw his hands up and did something he had never done before. Talked. "Don't… have… name." His voice was high-pitched and shrill. The fear coming out clearly as he tried to form a sentence. He had never been taught English and speaking words to humans was never needed.

The giant man stopped her again, "Don't have a name? Good… that means no one will remember you." He signaled for her to finish him.

He decided to make his final plea, "No… name… No… Family… No… Food." He had never cried in his life. He had never felt fear like this. But tonight, he realized what it meant to flirt with death, "I'm… sorry."

"Too late!" the woman brought her bar down with deadly force. He shut his eyes as he prepared for contact. The sound of metal meeting skin echoing through the diner. He didn't know what it felt like to die, but he was sure that he felt alive. When he opened his eyes, the giant had caught the bar. "What!?"

The bird looked up at the man who had him pinned. A strangely warm smile stretching across his cheeks. He raised his foot off his chest, the feeling of air freely entering his lungs was a relief. He took a few deep breaths, then looked back up to see the sole of the man's shoe over his head. When he looked past the leg, he saw that same uncomfortable smile. "I like him."

* * *

The sound of the door closing behind him ended his daydream. He had made his way downstairs without thinking. His mind growing fuzzy as he remembered his past. After Bull said that, he remembered everything going dark. When he woke back up, he was inside, "…The storage room."

He turned to face the small room. Bull had locked the door yesterday, trapping the child inside. He could only assume she was still locked inside, chained up in those haunting cuffs. He looked to the doorknob, 'Would it be wrong to check on her?'

His mind continued to process the pros and cons of entering the room. A pro would be getting to observe the child's psychological state after being left inside a small room in handcuffs for a day. It would be a great way to learn more about those emotions he abandoned years ago; roughly the same time he became Bull's personal hitman/apprentice.

A con would be getting into a new world of trouble with the boss. A painful punishment surely awaiting any sucker that disobeyed his orders. He decided the best bet would be to wait for Bull and Bibi's return. He would be more lenient if his older cousin was the one requesting her release. When his mind returned to his body, he found himself standing in front of the storage room door. The keys from Bull's office resting inside the door's lock.

"Or… I won't," he said in his deeper voice. The same voice Bull told him to use after he was recruited. It was modeled after his boss's intimidating vocals. He looked around the room, his lifeless eyes looking for any form of stimulus. His boss arriving abruptly to see his blatant disrespect. A random thug showing up to witness the actions and report it to Bull. Anything to liven up his increasingly boring days. Of course, he was all alone.

"Well… maybe she can liven things up…"

He unlocked the door, slowly creeping inside the tiny room. He took notice of the small ball of mass hiding under the new covers Bibi had added to her mattress. Crow softly shut the door behind him, his body naturally silent as he approached her bed. He could hear her faint snores as she wistfully slept under the covers.

He didn't know why, but he enjoyed watching her innocently sleeping. Perhaps it was that naïve innocence that he found so interesting. Or maybe it was because it was the only time she seemed tolerable. Either way, he knew it was relaxing.

He sat down beside her bed, his face growing closer to the mass by the second. Ever since she woke up here two days ago, she seemed completely unfazed by her new surroundings. Like the concept of being kidnapped wasn't even in her vocabulary. Was it childlike wonder or was she just dumb?

Either way, he wanted answers.

The sound of subtle groans alerted him of the child awakening. Her body slowly rising as she took the covers off. Her eyes locked with Crow's, the birdman staring, unblinking at her.

"Hi…" she lowly hummed.

"Hello." Crow kept his voice neutral, but his mind was screaming. This girl just woke up to a half-bird, half-man hybrid staring at her, and her response was 'Hi'?

He couldn't wrap his head around this kid. She defied all laws of ethics. All laws of humanity. All laws of reality. He might be an anthropomorphic bird, but even he wouldn't respond so nonchalantly if a strange creature was watching him sleep. He might have lost all touch with his emotions, but his logic was still healthy and strong.

Nita slowly moved past him. The covers wrapped around her body as she dragged them along to a nearby table. Crow's eyes followed her as the sound of chains touching the floor caught his ears. He watched as the girl turned around, her hands holding a red toothbrush and toothpaste. The chained handcuffs she was wearing snapped down the middle as she dragged them along the ground. "Can I brush my teeth?"

Crow led the girl to the downstairs bathroom, waiting outside while she took care of her morning routine. His face was still lifeless as he tried to understand the girl's raw power. The sound of the water stopping snapped him out of his thoughts. The tiny girl walking out with some paste still around her mouth. Crow walked back inside the bathroom, grabbing a tissue and wiping the white crust from her lips. As he threw the dirty tissue away, he paused looking back at the child. He could read most people rather well; it came with his work. But this girl, the amount of raw destructive power she possessed did not match her personality at all.

He led the girl back to her room. Her stomach grumbling as she laid down on the bed, "I'm hungry."

Crow looked around the room. They hadn't given her any snacks, "What do you want?"

"I dunno?"

"Hm… Do you like sausages?"

"What's a sausage?"

"It's like a pig… but for breakfast."

"Ooh, I like pigs."

"Then I'll get you a sausage biscuit." Crow closed the door behind him, dryly making his way up the stairs.

When he reached the topside, he met up with one of the chefs, requesting an egg and cheese biscuit alongside Nita's order. He sat down in the diner waiting for his order to finish. The early morning elderly taking their seats at the counter alongside the commuting truckers and sleep-deprived early birds.

One older black man took a seat beside Crow. The man greeting him warmly as he sat down. "How ya doing old pal?"

"Same as always Jordan. Dead."

Jordan sat silently as he observed Crow's face, "I don't know about that." Crow turned to face him, "You got a different look today."

Crow cracked his neck as he grew intrigued, "And how do you know there's something different?"

"Your eyes." The elderly man pointed his wrinkled finger at Crow's face. "They're usually so dead an' lifeless. Like you're looking for a reason to smile. But today, you have a little smirk on your face."

Crow threw his hand to his mouth. Touching his beak and tracing the edge of his lower mandible.

"Yep. You made a friend, didn't you?"

Crow put back on his usual placid look, "I don't have friends. Just colleagues."

Jordan let out a soft laugh at the statement, "Trust me, boy. I was your age once. And I was the exact same. So serious about my work that I couldn't accept a new friend cause they had been labeled as my enemy. I made my first overseas friend in the streets of Bengasi. A little boy that wanted to play soccer with me and the other soldiers in the middle of the road. That's when I realized that there are precious lives that need to be protected around the world. Even if they live with my enemies."

Crow recoiled listening to the story. He tried to process the similarities with his current situation. It was stories like this that made him question his relationship with the elderly.

"I'm not gonna tell ya how to live your life. But here's a word of advice, don't fight a good thing. And don't let your enemies skew your perception of an entire civilization. And always protect the youth. The way you treat them will shape our futures."

Crow wanted to ask more about the elder's strangely specific advice, but the chef came out to hand him his food. Crow silently said his goodbye to Jordan, making his way back downstairs to the basement.

He stood outside the door to Nita's storage room. His hands holding onto the two plates as he processed his situation. He was a trained killer, a professional with countless bodies under his belt. Currently, he was serving a child food like her personal butler. Something about this felt wrong, but also somewhat nice.

He watched as the door swung open, the tiny tike looking up with drool running down her chin. "That smells awesome!"

Crow passed her plate, allowing her to retreat to her room. He began making his way to the poker table, choosing to eat alone as usual. The sound of chains dragging made him look up to see Nita watching around the corner. "Why you eating alone?"

"I always eat alone."

Nita looked to her room, then back to the bird. "Wanna eat in my room?"

Crow looked down at his food, then back to her. The words of the old man filling his mind, "Sure."

Sitting in the girl's room was, strange. Not just trying to socialize with a child but understanding why he felt calm beside her. The wild child ate her food like an animal while he took his time munching down the egg biscuit. The bird kept his eyes on her as she ripped the food to pieces. Covering her face in grease from the patty.

Crow's mind started ticking, 'She truly does seem to be an animal. Perhaps it would be best for me to help civilize her.' Crow flinched at his thought process, 'Why do I care. She's nothing more than a temporary hostage. Why do I care how she acts? I need to cut all ties with this child.'

"Thank you."

Crow's eyes refocused ahead. He found himself standing in front of Nita, a napkin in hand as he helped wipe her mouth. He could feel her squishy cheeks under his fingers. The child giggling as he kept poking her soft face. His mouth moved on its own, "Are you scared?"

"Scared of what?"

Crow looked around the room, "This…"

Nita looked back up at his cold dead eyes, "Nah, I'm not scared of anything."

Crow put the napkin down. His hand rubbing his eyes then traced the frame of his beak, "Well, what about someone tougher than you?"

"Nobody's tougher than Nita!"

"Hm… but what if someone was. And they wanted to hurt you."

"Huh… that'd have to be a really tough person." Nita rubbed her chin, thinking long and hard. While she contemplated the question, Crow stared into her white eyes. The fact that so much emotion could be shown in two white dots was astounding. Meanwhile, his eyes had been devoid of light for years, searching for a spark.

Nita clapped her hands, deciding on an answer. "Then I have you."

"W-What?"

"You'll help me. If there was ever someone tougher than me."

Crow looked away, trying to understand her statement. "Why would I do that?"

Nita cocked her head to the side, "Because you're my friend." Crow felt a strange warmth in his chest. "You're all my friends. Ms. Bibi, Mr. Bull, and you Mr. Bird. You'll help me."

Crow's body seemed to convulse at her words. A strange feeling entering his lungs, "Crow…"

"Hm?"

"My name, they call me Crow."

Nita smiled up at him. A toothy grin that showed off her razor-sharp canine teeth. "Okay. Then you'll protect me, Mr. Crow."

Crow's mind halted at those words. 'You'll protect me, Mr. Crow… protect me, Mr. Crow… protect… protect.' That one word seemed to be playing on a loop in his mind. Protect. Never had that word been said to him before.

Then like a roller coaster straight to hell, his past hit him. He remembered his first time talking to Mrs. Corduroy after meeting Bull. The woman explaining that she was worried something happened to him. Telling her she no longer needed to make pies for him. He could keep himself fed. Then the words she uttered burned him to his core, "I guess that's better. It was getting expensive buying extra ingredients."

He concluded that he was a burden after all.

Then he remembered finishing his first job with Bull. The boss showing him the art of killing firsthand. "You're going to be my personal hitman. Your only purpose is to erase my problems off the face of the earth."

He was less than human in his eyes. Less than an animal. He was just a tool.

But this girl. 'Protect me,' never had he needed to hear something so much and never knew until he heard it. He looked back down at Nita. The girl had her back turned to him as she inspected her dress.

She pulled it up to her nose, sniffing the fabric. "Blech. Ms. Bibi's right. I need new clothes."

Crow didn't notice his arms reaching out to her. The child was unaware of his daunting grasp. He saw all the people he had killed in his life, their bodies replacing hers. An inky black aura of death radiating off from their forms. He was programmed to kill, but for some reason, this girl radiated a blinding bright light. The aura she emitted ripping through the negative energy all his victims created.

Instead of wrapping his fingers around her neck, he saw himself embracing the girl from behind. Holding her close as he engaged in his first hug. The warmth of her body heating his cold heart.

She looked up at the bird-man, his eyes big and wild as he tried to process his actions. "Haha. You look funny Mr. Crow."

Crow looked down at the girl. His eyes still bugging out at his involuntary response, "I'll… Protect you."

"But I said I don't need protection."

Crow looked forward, staring at nothing. "I know… But if anything ever happens. I'll always be there. Even if you can't see me."

Nita gasped, "You can turn invisible? Just like my brother?"

Crow ignored her words, still trying to process his own. "Even if your village and my boss are enemies, I'll always watch over you." He reactively rubbed the bottom of his beak against the top of her head.

"Like a momma bird watches her children?"

"…Yes."

"That's funny. Ms. Bibi said the same thing."

"Hm," Crow would ask her about that later. For now, he just wanted to enjoy this moment. This warmth. He unconsciously buried his beak into her bear pelt. Getting a good whiff of the filth that had built upon her head. He recoiled holding his nostrils as he talked, "She's right. We need to get you new clothes."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, if you made it to the end of this chapter thanks for reading. The story says that it will be eleven chapters long but that could change depending on whether I wish to expand or compress the future chapters. Just to be clear the entire story has already been written, I just decided that it would be healthier to upload them over time rather than dropping all eleven chapters at once.
> 
> So before I leave, thanks for reading. If you enjoyed drop a Kudo and leave a comment. If you have critques, leave them in the comments below. I look forward to advice from all my readers. Finally, if you made it this far and enjoyed my writing give my other two Brawl Stars stories a read. They are vastly different takes on the brawlers from within the game but I believe I did a good job of making their characters intriguing.
> 
> Thank you for reading another one of...  
> Sammy's Silly Scripts


	4. Looks Can be Deceiving

3 days till everything changes

The dust filling the dim cave was torture on his lungs. The back-breaking labor wasn't new to him, but the motion of swinging a pickaxe was snapping his lower spinal cords. Muscles were going to work in ways he had never imagined before. But it was worth it. He needed to save her.

The teen took a break from swinging his pick. Taking a seat on a nearby rock as he wiped the sweat from his brow. He looked at both ends of the dark mine; there wasn't another soul in sight. Just him and his thoughts.

He laid back against the rock wall, his mind wandering to his sister. 'Please be safe Nita,' his fist tightening as he imagined her current state. She was probably sitting alone in an empty room. He prayed they were feeding her regularly. Taking care of her.

His mind wandered to a dark place as he imagined the worst. His little sister in ragged clothing as she sat alone in a corner. Her bear pelt in tatters from constant abuse. His blood boiled as he thought about the horrors, they were committing on her. He couldn't bring himself to contemplate the filthy reality of sexual harassment.

He violently shook his head as he jumped to his feet. "I swear, if they harm a single hair on your head, I will castrate them and hang them by their entrails!"

He grabbed his pickaxe, mining away in search of the green gemstones that would free her from her bonds. His body driven by the image of her chained inside a room, alone and scared. His guttural roars filled the expansive cave system as he mined away. Any gems he found were thrown into a nearby cart without a second thought as he continued to search for more.

Further down the track, Bo sat beside an elderly man. Both listening to Leon's enraged battle cry. "Thank you again Dyna-of the-mike."

"Just Dynamike is fine. Heck just Mike'll do too," he softly chortled. The older man's voice was crotchety and laced with a crazy undertone.

"Fine, then Mike. Thank you. Your mineshaft has saved a life."

"Oh, don't mention it. Anything to help a boy save his sister." Dynamike peeked around the corner. A small dust cloud forming from Leon's rapid swinging. "Hell don't think Carl has kicked up a storm like that before."

"Yes. He is driven by passion. But blinded by rage."

"How much longer till the meeting?"

"Three days." Bo took a sip of the water Mike had brought down for them, "Then we meet outside the magician's home."

"Tara's Bazaar?" Bo nodded his head. "You're gonna be out in the open. Sure, you're ready for a meeting with that man?"

Bo took a deep breath, "Do you know how many emeralds we needed?" Dynamike shook his head, Bo had never told Dynamike the details. "2,000."

"2,000? But that boy finished mining 3k yesterday."

"Yes… he has long hit his goal. Now, he is training. Though he may not know it, this mining is another form of physical training." Bo looked around the corner, Leon stepping out of the hole he made in the ground with a hoodie full of gems in tow. "For I fear that this, Bull, will not go down without a fight."

* * *

The bell chimed as the front doors of the diner were slowly pushed open. The owner of the diner casually walking into the partying crowd. A group of teenagers could be seen invading the dance floor while most of the older patrons gathered around the bar. A large group of men gathered in a semi-circle around two seats in the bar.

As Bull approached the group, he could hear them chanting, "Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug!" He chuckled as he got closer, it had been a few nights since the last drink-off. He figured he would find two of the larger men sitting at the table, though last week he was surprised to see a woman downing a few pints.

He stood at the back of the crowd, looking over the heads of the patrons. He could see a man with long blonde hair knocking back another drink. Three more pints filled up on the counter while the waiter got more prepared. He had never seen this man before, but newcomers were always welcome.

Bull tried to find his opponent, but they seemed to be smaller than most at the venue. He pushed through the crowd trying to get a visual. To the right of the blonde, he saw a freshly cleaned mug hit the table. Two small brown hands reaching for the next.

Bull was confused by the tiny hands, but he wasn't one to judge a paying customer. He grew closer just as a new chant started to fill the room. "Panda! Panda! Panda! Panda!"

Bull finally pushed to the front of the crowd. The blonde man falling out of his chair as he started throwing up his beer on the floor. The crowd cheered for their victor. Beneath the cheers, Bull could be heard groaning when he saw who it was.

Sitting on the barstool, downing one final drink, was Nita. The girl had ditched her usual teal clothes for a dark-red dress with gold lining the edges. A fresh pair of brown tights could still be seen running down her legs, but her usual maroon bear pelt had been replaced with a stitched panda head.

Nita jumped up, standing on top of the barstool as she screeched in victory. As she roared to the crowd an atrocious burp left her mouth. The likes of a grown man that just finished chugging a gallon of soda. She let out a meek, "Excuse me," as she nervously rubbed her head. The crowd grew even louder at her outburst.

Bull stood at the front of the group; his hands crossed as he listened to their obnoxious cheers. Nita scanned the crowd, locking eyes with the humongous boss. She ran up to Bull's waist, "Mr. Bull! Did ya see, did ya see? I'm the best drinker in my village too."

Bull blew a frustrated breath. He looked at the giant pile of mugs sitting on her side of the table. A waitress placing them on a platter, "Hey, Val!"

The waitress turned with a flustered expression, "Y-Yes Mr. Bull?"

"You giving her alcohol?"

"N-No, sir! It's Root Beer."

"Hm." Bull looked back towards the girl, her bright smile still blinding him. "Well stop giving her drinks. She can't afford it."

"Sir. Crow said he would pay her tab for the night."

Bull grumbled something under his breath, his eyes falling on the girl once again. She had her fists up to her face, bouncing as she awaited his acknowledgment. His eyes fell on her arms, two metal circlets wrapped around her wrists. A small chain dangling from each hoop, "Why do you still have the cuffs on?"

Nita looked down at her wrists. The tiny chains that were still connected to the cuffs jingling sharply. "Mrs. Bibi said they make me look dangerous." She struck a pose that showed off her sharp teeth and claw-like fingers.

Bull just grunted and walked to the kitchen. Nita was left standing in the middle of the circle with a disappointed frown on her face. What felt like a mini tremor snapped her out of her stupor. Another shockwave causing her to bounce in the air. The sea of patrons shifted as the shockwaves grew stronger.

From the crowd, Nita watched as a large circle moved towards her. An extremely overweight male with a waist as large as Nita's body was tall. He slurped on a giant juice cup, crushing the carton before throwing it at her feet. "Well pipsqueak, wanna try facing me?"

Nita gave him a toothy grin as she sat back down at the table. Slamming on the bar while the waitress prepared more drinks. The crowd started chanting, "Obby! Obby! Obby!" A mixture of, "Panda! Panda! Panda!" forming within the crowd. The sound of metal bending under Obby's ridiculous weight was a calling card for the customers inside. The crowd growing as more spectators came to see who his next victim was.

Inside the kitchen, Bull spotted his cousin berating a random employee. The large boss slowly walking up from behind, "Hey Bibi."

She turned back to him, rolling her eyes before finishing her thought with the worker. "If I get one more complaint about dirty dishes, you're gonna be licking them clean." She shoved him towards the industrial sink as she focused on her cousin, "Sup?"

"The hell's going on out there?"

Bibi walked past him, looking through the window, "Looks like my panda bear is drinking that obese ass-hat under the table."

Bull watched as Nita kept pace with the man's ridiculous rate. He pulled Bibi away from the opening, "Why is she not in her room?"

"Her cage?"

"Her, ROOM."

"I don't get it. The kid is a hit with everyone she meets. Why don't you like her?"

Bull pinched the brim of his nose, "I couldn't hate or like her. She's just business."

"Maybe if you hung out with her once instead of placing her in other people's care you would be talking different."

"I don't want to talk different. I need her to stay safe."

Bibi leaned back from his statement, "So you do care?"

"I don't care about her. I care about her physical appearance."

"…You're not a pedophile, right?"

"Oh, for the love of-"

"The Boss is not a pedophile." They both turned to see Crow entering from the back door. His blades dripping a strange liquid alongside a thick black-and-red ooze. Crimson footsteps were left on the floor as he approached the duo. He looked back at the trail, hissing at the mess he made. He turned to an employee, "Please clean that up."

Bull sighed in relief, "Thank you, Crow."

"He just doesn't know how to express his emotions. I believe in your home country you would call him a tsundere."

"Okay! No!" Bull pulled the two top dogs of his gang together, "I do not like her. I do not hate her. I just need to make sure she stays safe."

Bibi scoffed, "What's safer than being around us?"

"That list is longer than your paycheck."

Crow walked up to the window, the crowd's cheers leaking through the opening. A faint smile formed on his beak, "She won again." He turned to his colleagues, "Maybe we should sign her up for a drinking competition."

Bibi dismissed his ridiculous idea, refocusing on Bull. "Look, little cuz." She wrapped her arm around his neck, dragging him to the main window. The three gangsters watched as Nita raised another glass in victory. The crowd of bystanders cheered with her as her name dwarfed the music. "Look how much fun they're having. Business is booming."

Bull (still crouched low within her grasp) grumbled, "Business is always booming."

"And now it's super booming. Ain't that right, Crow?" The bird found his head wrapped with her grasp as well. He dryly nodded as the girl tightened her grip around the two males. "See. Everything's fine. The men are buying more beer than ever trying to beat her. And Nita is having the time of her life knocking back drinks. The only thing that could go wrong would be if someone put beer in all the root beer."

Crow's eyes grew wider, "Question?"

Bibi smugly smiled at him, "What's your question, Crow?"

"I put beer in all the root beer."

Bibi released her grip on both men. Bull stood tall, looking down in confusion at the bird. Bibi slowly approached him, "What?"

"It's called root beer. I thought it was normal."

Bibi's breath was shaky, "H-How much?"

"For the past 3 weeks we have done nothing but sell root beer with alcohol in it."

Bull snatched Crow up by his jacket, "Do you have any idea what you've done?"

Repetitive tiny smacks could be heard outside. All heads turned to see Nita patting Obby's depressed back. However, with her abnormal strength, it looked like she was trying to smack him out of his seat. The girl's usual cute laughter was much louder and wild. A faint red blush could be seen running across her cheeks.

As she continued to smash Obby's spine her laughter grew, raising another glass and listening to the crowd cheer for her. Bull pinched the bridge of his nose, turning back to a visibly distraught Bibi. "What now smartass?"

Bibi cleared her throat, "Relax. Everything's fine. Look…" she pointed back outside. "She's still fine. In fact, I think she's doing better now than she was before."

Bull watched as the crowd swarmed the bar. A mixture of congratulations for Nita's victory being accented by the constant taunts to the defeated Obby. Something felt off to Bull, like there was a disturbance in his bar. "What about the people she's beating."

"Come on Bull. It's all in good fun."

Bull kept his eye on the bar, "I've seen people fight over less."

Bibi shook her head dismissively. She looked to Crow, "Can you believe this guy? Listen Buru, how about I take the beer away and replace it with Fruit Punch?"

"How about you get her away from the bar and give her a glass of water?"

Bibi groaned, "Fine…" She trudged towards the kitchen's door, "Honestly I don't get what you're so worried about. Even if someone were to take a swing at her, I promise you they would be a-"

A painful smack could be heard echoing over the crowd. Bibi watched as Nita slowly fell to the floor, the large male she just beat standing over her with his fist clenched.

Crow's feathers stood on end as his eyes seemed to vibrate, "DEADMAN!" He roared in rage, his body moving on its own as he hopped through the tiny window. Bibi rushed through the kitchen doors, her bat at the ready.

Crow rolled behind the counter, his legs flexing as he launched himself into the air. Bibi hopped on the counter; her eyes cruel and cold as she prepared to decapitate the fat man. For a moment, time slowed down. The drinks that sat on the table were knocked over; the liquids suspended in the air.

Crow was the first to notice it, a body leaping up in the air where the fat man was. A black and white blur that his eyes had trouble processing. Next was Bibi, the hot head calming down at the unexpected sight. Leaping from the ground landing a jaw-rocking uppercut was Nita. The tiny girl had a new look on her face.

Anger.

Time rushed forward, the large man falling backward as Nita started to descend. Obby rolled on the ground, trying to find his footing but failing miserably. Nita stood up; her fangs bared as she wasted no motion. She leaped back into the air, her body rocketing downward into his stomach.

The crowd groaned as she seemed to sink inside the fatty mass. Obby threw a massive hand at his gut, the tiny girl getting launched into the crowd. Bibi dropped low, gaining strength to propel herself forward, but a hand gripped at her jacket. She turned to see Bull holding her back. His face was placid, no malice, just contemplation.

He nodded his head in Nita's direction, Bibi watching as the girl walked out of the crowd. She turned to Crow, hoping he would agree with her, but he had dropped to a single knee. His face was stoic as he observed the fight. Against her will, she took a seat on the bar, "Kick his ass, Panda, baby!"

The crowd cheered as the child walked back into the middle, her panda head slightly skewed. Obby stood up sloppily, wiping a filthy frown from his face. "You little punk." He slowly walked up to the girl, "You think you're so special? You ain't shit."

Nita fixed her panda hat, her face unfazed by the two clean hits. "You're fat."

Obby dropped a giant fist on her position. The girl easily jumping above the sledgehammer blow. She swayed with all her movements, the alcohol in her body turning her usually sharp attacks into sloppy blows. She used his forearm as a ramp, running up for another drunken punch to his face. Obby stumbled backward, the shot giving his upper body chills.

Nita landed behind him, continuing her aggression with another attack on his head. She jumped to the back of his neck, using her claw-like fingers to rip at his nostrils. Obby moved backward, trying to release some of the pressure on his face.

The crowd spread out further to give the two fighters room, their sides picked clearly with their cheers. Crow heard a bystander cheering for Nita's demise, he was quickly silenced by a blade appearing at his feet. Bibi was more vocal with her statements, "Go for his eyes! He can't hit what he can't see!"

Nita mixed in some short stiff punches with her raking offensive. Obby groaning as he tried to fight her off. He was able to get his hand on one of her arms, pulling her off his head. She tried to rip herself out of his grasp, but she couldn't get a solid grip on his fingers. As she dangled from his single-arm hold, she could only think of one solution. She used her other hand to lift herself upward and bit his thumb.

Obby bellowed in pain as her sharp teeth sunk into his skin. He flipped her upside-down in his hands. Her face aimed for the flooring. And like an American football player that just scored a touchdown, he maliciously spiked her. The sound of splintering wood silencing the audience.

More bystanders had joined the masses but now everyone fell silent. The girl's head was buried inside the floor, her body vertical like a lawn dart. Bibi stood up; her rage unfiltered. "I'm going to break every bone in your body and feed you to the alley dogs!"

Many of the bystanders moved further back. Bibi attempted to leap forward, but her cousin's large arms held her down. Though she was foaming at the mouth (ripping and screaming for him to release her) Bull remained calm.

Crow quietly spoke up, "It's not over."

Bibi turned to him. She thought the two agreed last night they would keep the kid safe. Why was he so calm? The collective gasps of the crowd were her answer.

In the middle of the floor, Nita's foot twitched. Her body shifting to all fours with her head buried like an ostrich. The crowd watched in awe as she popped her head out of the ground. Her panda hat had little woodchips and cement peppering her skull.

She shook herself off like a dog, knocking some loose rocks out her ears. Obby stared on in fear at her incredible endurance. After smacking her face lightly, she turned back to the man. 'My head doesn't feel fuzzy anymore,' she happily thought to herself. Her face was practically spotless except for the forming dust and grime. She had a small frown on her face, her fist balled up as she turned to face him.

The words she said would live on in infamy as the greatest one-liner in history. "You… hit like a ass."

The crowd fell silent. The jazz music that was still playing turned off abruptly. Bibi's eyes glowed with pride, "That's my girl!" Crow nodded his head agreeing with her insult.

The crowd started chanting, "Ass! Ass! Ass!" The constantly-repeating phrase like nails on a chalkboard to Obby. He looked through the crowd as they all hopped on Nita's side. The crowd cheering for the pintsized powerhouse. Obby felt a new rage rushing through his body. He looked to Nita, the girl's attention on Bibi, Crow, and Bull. The first two gave her encouraging thumbs-up, the third just watched on silently.

Tears started to form in his eyes, a pain he hadn't felt in years filling his chest. His emotions fueled his actions, the large man running forward toward the child. Nita's attention snapped back to the fight, she rolled under his wild punch toward Bibi and Crow. She dashed forward with a dangerous speed, kicking his legs out from under him.

Without wasting momentum, she turned around. Her lack of shoes giving her the traction necessary to rush back in. She jumped up just as Obby turned to face her, her fist colliding with his nose. As she flew past a few globs of blood flew into the air over her. The crowd groaning as they noticed his newly disfigured face. Bibi was clapping as she watched the girl run through him. Nita made a pushing movement with her hands, Crow and Bibi scooting over as Nita hopped on the counter.

She leaped up into the air, her dress flowing in the wind as she flew like an angel. Then she crashed to the floor like a demon. A massive shockwave forming on the ground at her feet. The wood splitting as her fists slammed the ground. A small tremor rushed across the floor, knocking Obby off his feet. He could feel an ungodly pain coursing through every nerve in his legs. It was as if a million tiny fireworks were exploding inside his bloodstream.

The shockwave kept going, tearing up the floor as it traveled. A few bystanders getting caught in the action and groaning from the pain. Bull and his teammates were stunned by the attack. But they didn't have time to think, Nita was on the move.

In a final attack, she jumped up into the air. Her body twisting as she smashed her fists into Obby's stomach. The giant man spitting up some beer as he passed out. Nita stood to the side over the defeated man, roaring with her high-pitched voice.

The crowd joined her as they converged on her position. The music that had stopped playing was back in full effect. The party doubling in size and strength at the child's victory. Nita was surrounded by a sea of people, their feet trampling Obby's body on the floor.

"Move! Outta my way!" Bibi pushed through the sea of people. Crow following close behind. When they broke through the crowd, Nita dove into Bibi's chest. The older woman gladly swooping her up in a hug.

"Mrs. Bibi! Did ya see!"

"I did!"

"Was I badass?" Nita's eyes were sparkling as she looked for Bibi's response.

A tear formed in Bibi's eye. She wanted to give her a response, but she was too choked up on pride. Crow handled the answer for her, "Very badass."

The bird patted the girl's head, knocking some left-over dust off. She giggled as he started to smush her cheeks. The crowd grew closer. Some asking questions about who she was and how she got so strong. One man went up to Bibi, noticing her holding Nita like a child. "Tell me, who's the father."

Bibi recoiled at the question, "I'm not her-"

Nita's adorable giggles stopped her statement. They looked down in her arms as she choked out a statement between laughter, "Mama Bibi."

The child kept laughing unaware of the effect her words had. Bibi looked off into the crowd, noticing how strange those words made her feel. A wobbly smile forming on her face as she processed the image. She brought Nita's face close to her chest, "Yes, she is my daughter. And no one can touch her."

A few women watching from the side cooed at the statement. One of the larger men stepping to the front of the crowd, "Well if you're the mother. She's gonna need a father, right?" He flexed his arm, an impressive bulge showing through his skintight shirt. "I'm open to the role."

Nita mumbled something inside Bibi's chest. The woman loosening her grip so she could speak, "If Bibi is mama, wouldn't that make Crow papa?"

Bibi smiled down at her, "I don't think Crow would wan-"

"Yes." Crow bent down smushing Nita's face between his hands, "Say it. Say, Papa Crow."

"Papa Crow," she said between squished lips.

"Now say, 'Papa Crow will always protect me.'"

"Papa Crow will always protect me."

One customer scratched their head, "Then why didn't you help with Obby?"

Bibi and Crow turned in the direction of the customer, if their eyes could shoot daggers, he would be dead. Bibi spoke up, "That's because we knew she had it under control, right?"

Nita happily screeched, "Nita doesn't fear anything!"

A few bystanders laughed with her. But even after a victory like this, there was still one heckler. A man spoke up over the crowd, "Wait a second. If Bibi is the mama and Crow is the papa. Doesn't that make them husband and-"

Crow locked eyes with the heckler, "They'll never find your body." His face was hidden in the masses, but his sharp eyes could find a June beetle in a sea of emeralds.

The peanut gallery of comments finally died. The crowd calming down allowed the softer noises to be heard again. A set of heavy footsteps slowly made their way to the center. Bibi and Crow turned to see Bull; his face as grumpy as ever as he stared down at the group.

Nita pried herself out of Bibi's arms. Running up to Bull's side, "Mr. Bull! Did ya see? Papa Crow said I was badass." She smiled up at the boss.

His face disgruntled as he frowned down at her. He looked around the diner, the wreckage hurting his pockets. It was going to cost a pretty penny to fix it. He looked back down to Nita, the girl smiling up waiting for a response. He blew a frustrated breath, "You're helping the carpenters fix this tomorrow." He looked down at Obby's unconscious body, "Someone clean this filth off my floor."

He left the group on that statement. The crowd of patrons booing him as he walked to the kitchen. He turned back around, his angry face silencing them. As he closed the door, Nita's face drooped from his negative response. Bibi held onto the girl, trying to convince her that Bull would come around.

Crow stood beside them with a smirk, "Yeah, he's a tsundere."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter: The Cutest Horror Movie  
> Release Date: November 13, 2020
> 
> See you there.  
> Leave a comment and some Kudos if you enjoyed it. If you didn't, don't leave a Kudo but drop a critiquing comment. I will respond in the next chapter upload.  
> Hope you return to read another one of...  
> Sammy's Silly Scripts.


	5. The Cutest Horror Movie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Should I put summaries for each chapter or would that ruin the surprise of reading the chapter for new readers? I think the title is a good way to identify which chapter you are looking for.

2 days till everything changes

On the main road cutting through the dusty dunes of Brawltopia's desert, sat a small town. All the buildings were made of wood and fitted with that rustic, old-western aesthetic. Amidst the plethora of small buildings was one large tavern in the center. A neon sign showing two cartoonish bottles with flames spewing from the tops.

Inside the tavern, several men in ten-gallon hats drank to their heart's content. Women could be seen joining in the merriment or toying with the hearts of the drunken bastards. Their plans were simple; party until the sun went down, then the afterparty could begin.

The doors to the parlor slowly opened, the large frame of Bull walking out first. Beside him was a small robot, his singular yellow eye radiating a welcoming spirit. His mouth (if he had one) was covered by a large chrome mustache. "So, we have come to an agreement?" he spoke in an augmented British accent.

Bull looked down at the robot, a smile on his usually cold face. "You provide the drinks; I provide the food. And both our businesses prosper." He stuck his hand out, his large palms engulfing the tiny hands of the robotic owner. "Never made an easier deal in my life."

Behind him stood his partners in crime, Bibi and Crow watching as he finalized the deal. Bibi rolled her eyes as the two men continued conversating. Lazily looking towards a family in a nearby corner. She saw a mother and her daughter laughing together as they sang with the woman on stage. Both giggling as the girl drew a picture in her coloring book. Crow noticed Bibi's growing despair, "What's wrong?"

He tried his best to sound sympathetic, only causing a shiver to run down Bibi's spine. She coughed in her hand, "Nothing, this is just so boring." She hated coming on trips like this. No action, just talking.

Crow turned to face her, "You know business like this is necessary."

"I know but why do I have to be here?"

"That is a wonderful question, darling." They both turned to see a woman in a bright blue dress approaching them. Her southern accent soft and airy, contrasting Bibi's rougher voice. She had a pink umbrella resting on her shoulder with a single-eyed robot following close behind her. This one wearing a blue bubble vest that partially covered the bouncy balls inside his glass stomach. "Why are you here?"

'And then there's this bitch,' Bibi hated her. She was always so condescending and a total smart ass. "You got a problem, Piper?"

"Yes. You see, I'm just so envious."

Bibi smirked at the compliment, "So you're finally admitting I'm better than you?"

Piper chuckled into her palm, "Oh no dear. I'm not envious of you. I envy the people who haven't met you."

Bibi's mood was growing sour. She watched as Piper waved for the robot to grab her a drink, the southern belle laughing loudly towards the ceiling. Bibi was used to this, being on the back-pedal in a battle of words. Listening to Piper taunting her with carefully placed insults.

"Oh, what's wrong, honey? At a loss for words?"

Bibi ground her teeth. She wanted to punch her teeth down her throat, but today was different. Today she had a secret weapon, "Sorry, I'm just so too busy thinking about my daughter at home."

Crow and Piper both snapped towards her, Bibi's eyes closed as she basked in her premature victory. Both parties' eyes were bugged out. Crow was stunned she revealed such valuable information, Piper couldn't believe she had such luck with a man.

The single-eyed robot returned with a glass of water, "Thank you, Rico." Piper coughed into her hand, taking a sip to regain her composure. "Well congratulations, you have a little rugrat running around your apartment. Daddy must be very excited, what with taking care of her all by himself."

Bibi visibly flinched, her shut eyes twitching as she tried to stand proud. Piper noticed this slip-up. She laughed into her fingers, "Oh-ho-ho. Don't tell me the baby doesn't know her daddy?" Piper leaned in closer, "Or does mommy not know who she slept with?"

Rico and Crow took a step back. Bibi turning to butt heads with the southern sweetheart. Every fiber of her being said to rip this blonde to smithereens, but Bull needed this deal. Besides, "I know who the father is!"

"Oh really? Then where and/or who is he?"

Bibi was flustered. Her eyes scanned her surroundings as she tried to formulate a lie. Then she noticed Crow, 'Well, it's not a total lie.' She ripped him from his position on the sideline, her hands burying his arm into her chest. "He's right here."

Piper and Rico both recoiled from the revelation. The southern belle bursting into hysterical laughter, "Oh my. So, there is a romance in the business? How scandalous!"

Crow's eyes were still dead, but he whispered into the slightly taller girl's ear, "Please don't drag me into this." Bibi whispered for him to back her up and she'll pay him back later.

"Oh, dear. Honestly, it's appropriate. A filthy half-breed, for a dirty couple."

A light lit in Crow's eyes, "What did you just say?" Bibi stood up as well, her deceptive height showing as she stood a few inches over Crow.

"Uh-oh. Did I offend you?" Piper was lacing every word she said with malice. Her increasingly smug tone making Bibi's blood boil.

Crow blew a frustrated breath, "I've heard worst things in a week than you can form within a year." He put an arm in front of Bibi, "You can't offend me. But don't you dare insult her."

Piper smiled at his defensive tone, "The baby or your wife?"

Bibi reached for the bat she kept at her waist, "Fuck around and find out."

Rico stepped up, his body acting as a weak wall between Piper and the Retropolis residents. Piper continued her taunts behind him, "Oh honey. You seem to misunderstand. I don't mind your daughter. In fact, I'm happy that you two found your own strange form of love." She took a sip from her water before continuing, "I just think your wife's gene pool could use a chlorine cleaning."

That was the last straw, Bibi took her bat off its clamp. Piper dropped her glass. As time slowed, the two made their movements. Bibi just barely moving past Crow as Piper's umbrella started to transform in slow motion. The hidden mechanisms of a rifle bursting through the dainty fabric.

Just before the glass shattered on the floor, a British voice cut through the action. "Enough!"

The tavern froze as all heads turned to the front door. The owner stood with his hands behind his back, observing the scene. Bibi's bat was at the ready, Crow trying his best to hold her back. Piper's sniper/umbrella hybrid was aimed at the sky as Rico pushed it away from her targets. "Put the rifle away," the British robot politely ordered.

Piper pressed a button on her handle, the rifle reverting to an umbrella again. Bibi laughed at her opponent. Her celebration was abruptly interrupted by the sound of Bull clearing his throat. She rolled her eyes, putting her bat away and huffing at Piper.

A large black hummer pulled up, Bull called to his cousin and assassin. Bibi moved past him first, her arms crossed with an angry grimace. Piper walked back inside the tavern, leaving the bird and bot standing beside each other.

They both turned in the direction of their female counterparts. Crow placing his hands in his pockets as Rico rubbed the back of his metal head. They didn't look at one another, but Crow said a few short words. "Get your girl under control."

Rico's retro voice softly responded, "I've tried."

The two walked away on that statement. Crow entering the large hummer and taking a seat beside a frustrated Bibi. Bull turned back to the owner, "My apologies, Barley. They're like children."

"Trust me. I know all too well." Barley took his hat off, wiping some dust off his chrome dome. He bowed his head, then made his way back inside the tavern.

Crow looked outside the open door, Bull's frustrated face showing his growing rage. He quietly jumped into the hummer's trunk, it would be better to watch this show than play in it. The car shifted under Bull's weight, the boss signaling for the driver to take them home.

For a while they sat in silence, the only sounds being the car's engine and their heartbeats. Bull finally broke the silence, "Do I need to start bringing a baby-bottle on our jobs?"

Bibi didn't look at him, her face in her hand as she stared out the window. She watched the sun go down as she mumbled, "Fuck you."

Bull rubbed his eyes, "Honestly. How am I younger than you?"

"She started it."

"There is nothing she could have said that would warrant an attack."

"She called Nita a filthy half breed."

"God-"

Bibi cut him off. Her eyes squinted as she yelled at him, "I can't let her get away with that!"

"Who cares about the kid. She's leaving in two days."

The car fell silent again. Bibi's eyes were staring at her feet. Crow pulled out a spare dagger to fiddle with. They both had forgotten about the deal. They were making the trade tomorrow outside Tara's Bazaar.

Crow and Bibi locked eyes, both nodding their heads. The two had talked about it once or twice before but with the time growing near, they knew they needed to ask now. Bibi cleared her throat, "Hey, Buru." Bull raised a brow at the name. "Me and Crow have been talking and we were wondering…" she looked to Crow for support.

The bird, lacking a filter, just blurted it out. "Can we keep her?"

Bull looked forward. His response clear and concise, "No."

Bibi groaned, "Why not?!"

"In two days, I will have access to 3,000 emeralds and a superhuman boy with the power of invisibility. Why would I trade that for an infant with a mean right hook?"

"Okay first, 3,000 emeralds is chump-change to you. Second, don't you dare downplay my Panda Bear. She is literally superhuman. A beast in the body of a child. She loves to drink suckers under the table, fights like a wild animal…" Bibi paused as she searched for another point, settling on, "And she's just so damn adorable."

Bull still wouldn't budge, "She isn't adding anything valuable to the team."

Crow calmly called him out, "Actually after last night's fight, we hit a record high for customers this morning. Most asked if they could see, 'The Panda'? If I had to guess, there will be even more people tonight."

Bull stayed silent. If what Crow's saying is true, she could be good for business. However, trying to control a kid was like throwing salt on a grease fire. It could work out, but one wrong move and he'd just be fueling the fire.

His phone's ringtone broke the tension. "We'll talk about this later… This is Bull." He went silent as he listened to the person on the other line. "Yes… How long has it been…? I'm on my way." Bull hung up, tapping on the driver's shoulder. "How long to get back to the diner?"

"Two hours, sir."

"Make it one." Bull sat back in his seat, the car's engine roaring as the G-Forces pulled their bodies back.

Bibi turned to her cousin, "What's wrong?"

"We're being robbed."

* * *

The usual soft greens and blues that hummed around the diner's exterior were being dwarfed. A pulsing red and blue light wrapped the street, accompanied by the blaring police sirens. Squad cars were sitting in the parking lot and around the building. As they pulled up, red and white ambulances could be seen carrying bodies away from the front doors. Bull ordered their driver to stop on the edge of the lot, Bibi jumping out first.

"If any of you laid a finger on my precious baby's head, I will scalp you to make up for every misplaced hair!"

Bull walked past her, looking for the leading officer. He saw a man standing by a folding table surrounded by officers. Bull approached them, "You the man in charge?"

The officer nodded his head, waving the other men away. His thick white mustache matching his gruff voice, "You must be the owner."

"Bull," he looked to his diner. "What's the situation."

The leading officer scratched his chin, "That's the issue. I'm not entirely sure." Bull observed the area. A few officers could be seen carrying away some men in handcuffs. Most of them beaten and bruised while others willingly stepped into the squad cars. The commanding officer continued, "You see when we first arrived here, these men were keeping us out via gunpoint and live hostages. Demanding a getaway car, a few thousand dollars, the usual stuff."

A paramedic pushed a robber to the ambulance. The man groaning as he held his bandaged head. "Looks like you have it under control. So why are you still here?"

"You see… while we were trying to find a way inside, gunshots rung through the building. I had a few of my men rush in to deal with it, but," Bull saw the diner's doors fly open. An officer dragging two of his men behind him. Both men were still alive, but they were immobile. The one that could still speak was in hysterics. Grabbing at his legs screeching, "I can't feel them… I can't feel them!"

Bull turned back to the leading officer, "What's in there?"

"No idea. The lights were broken during the initial gunfight. We've been trying to retrieve the hostages, but we keep getting stopped. All my men that make it out on their own two feet say they saw the same thing. A tiny panda." Bull's body stiffened at the revelation. "Any idea what's in there?"

He walked away from him, "I can guess." Bull searched the parking lot. "Bibi!" He moved around the stretchers and squad cars. "Bibi?"

"I can't find her!" Bull jumped at her disembodied voice. She seemed to appear behind him, her breath scattered and shaky as she wildly looked at him. "I checked with all the officers that don't have their ankles broken. The paramedics that weren't busy treating the injured, even the bastards that robbed us. No one's seen her." Bibi grabbed hold of Bull's shirt, "Where's my baby?!"

Crow flew down beside them, "I scanned every rooftop within our block. She's not here."

Bibi continued to shake Bull looking for a response. He threw his hands on hers, "What did you ask them."

"If they've seen my baby girl. Brown skin, wearing a panda head."

"How did they react?"

"Most screamed, then begged me to get away."

"Thought so…" Bull escaped Bibi's grip slowly walking towards the diner's entrance.

A few officers tried to stop him, but he pushed them aside. Bibi followed close behind, Crow bringing up the tail. "Hey, Buru! What are you doing?"

"I'm gonna discipline a child."

Bull threw his diner's doors open. The lobby was pitch black, only a single faint bulb could be seen inside the kitchen. The moonlight leaking through the windows gave little to no vision. That alongside the flashing light from outside gave the room a strange horror-movie feeling. He could see the floorboards were splintered again, "Dammit, I just got that fixed."

Bibi took notice of the ripped flooring, "Panda? Nita baby? Momma's here." She ran through the diner looking under the tables. "It's okay. No one's gonna hurt you now. Everything's okay."

Bull slowly stepped through the darkness. His body naturally moving for the kitchen door. Crow followed behind, watching as his boss stood still in the doorway. "What's wrong."

Bull motioned for Crow to join him. The bird recoiling at the sight. Sitting in the corner were all of the diner's chefs. They were using their bodies as a human shield for the few customers that couldn't escape the carnage. "What are you doing?" Bull was expecting a vocal response, but they silently pointed behind him.

The sound of a spoon clanking against the ground startled them. Both men turning as they looked for the source of the disturbance. A knife fell next, both men slowly looked upward. They froze when they saw her. Her bright white eyes covered in blood leaking from her head. Her arms cut as she stood on all four limbs above them. A feral growl escaping her lips.

Bull took a step back. He hadn't seen this side of her before. He reached an arm out to grip Crow. When his fingers gripped air, he looked for Crow's body. His heart stopping when he saw him moving forward.

He let out a hushed scream, "Crow! Get away from her!"

Crow's face was calm, his hands stretched outward toward the girl. "Nita? It's me… Papa."

Nita's fangs retracted behind her lips. Her tiny nose sticking out as she sniffed the air. Bull and the customers watched on as the two slowly grew closer. Nita seeming to calm down as she took in Crow's scent.

Nita's nose was practically touching Crow's feathers now. The bird attempting to calm the girl down. Then the kitchen doors busted open, Bibi rushing in wildly. "Where's my baby?!" Bibi's aggressive entrance knocked some pots off their racks. The clamorous sound echoing off the tile floors.

Nita bared her fangs, biting down on Crow's feathered fingers. He instinctually pulled back falling on his rear. Bull ran forward, "Alright kid it's nap time." He threw a punch at Nita's skull. The girl leaping over his fists and bouncing off the tiled wall. Her skull collided with Bull's nose, a few new droplets of blood mixing with her stained panda hat.

Bibi saw Nita fly from above, the tiny girl landing on Bull's body. "Panda!" She stretched out her arms, "Momma's here!"

Nita turned to face her, her teeth resembling knives. Still on all fours, she sprinted to Bibi. The older woman smiling as she prepared for a full-force hug from her adopted daughter. She was instead greeted with a charging tackle. The force of the blow causing her to roll out of the kitchen.

Nita tumbled forward, quickly disappearing into the darkness of the main lobby. Bibi clenched her aching gut, "That's my girl." She rolled over onto her stomach, looking out into the shadows. "Nita? Baby girl? Momma's not mad. She just needs you to come out." She pulled out her bat, propping herself as she got into a defensive stance.

Crow approached from behind, shaking his aching fingers. "Where is she?"

"Dunno she knocked the wind out of me then disappeared."

"I'll find her." Crow jumped up into the rafters out of her sight.

The doors to the kitchen slowly opened. Bibi saw Bull slowly walking into the dark lobby, his nose red and leaking. "Woof. She got you good."

"Yeah," he slowly brought his hands up to his nose. "This is a new feeling. Pride in somebody else." He wiped his bloody nose. The red liquid thick on his thumb. He clenched his fist, allowing the bodily fluid to ooze between his fingers. "Unfortunately, it's being overshadowed by my, UNYIELDING RAGE!" He smashed his blood-covered fist through the counter. The wooden bar folded in on itself, adding more destruction to the dark diner. "Nita! Where are you?"

He trudged through the ruined room, yelling for Nita to show herself. His feet stepping over the broken chunks of wood and shattered glass. Crow's body slid out the darkness. The bird sliding on his back while he groaned with pain. He rubbed the bottom of his beak as he sat up, "Found her."

Bibi and Bull looked into the darkness. Their human eyes unable to process what was standing there. A passing squad car's lights swept the diner. The red and blue lights flashing as Nita's body came into vision. The blue light caused the red bloodstains to turn black against her white fur hat. Her eyes glowed in the dark as she growled at them from a distance.

Then as soon as the light came, it left, plunging the room into darkness again. Bull grinned at where she last was, "Someone's cranky. Looks like I gotta put you in timeout." He cracked his knuckles while he walked forward.

Bibi jumped in his way, "Wait we can't hurt her."

"The hell do you mean we can't hurt her?"

"She's just a kid."

Bull pointed to his face, "That kid broke my nose!"

Bibi looked back into the darkness, "She's scared. Maybe she's just trying to protect herself?"

"She's a wild animal. Crow back me up." He turned to look at the assassin. The bird staring up at the rafters. "What are you?" He followed his eyes upward, his face getting smashed inward by the tiny feet of Nita.

Bull slowly stumbled backward as Nita landed in front of Bibi. She clamped her hands down on the child's shoulders, trying to calm her down. Without batting an eye, Nita took one of Bibi's hands and threw her over her shoulder. The woman crashing into her larger cousin.

Nita's razor-sharp eyes turned to Crow, the bird walking backward to avoid confrontation. She dropped to all fours, crawling towards him. Crow's mind started racing. He couldn't hurt her, he swore to protect her. But right now, she was a mindless beast; a rabid animal hell-bent on taking out intruders.

His hands fell on a few plates sitting on a table. 'Yeah, that won't hurt her… much.' He picked up the plates, stacking them in his hands. When he turned back around, Nita had disappeared. His eyes were trained to see even the smallest difference in the shadows, the tiniest inconsistency in reflecting light. However, he could not see Nita.

His ears weren't the best, but he could hear faint breathing over his shoulder. His bones chilled at the warm feeling running down his neck. His head slowly turned, looking over his shoulder. She was just sitting there, like a dog guarding its home. Crow didn't know what to do. He slowly moved his body to face her, but the more he turned the louder her growling got.

In the middle Bull and Bibi stood up, the boss wildly yelling into the darkness. "Crow! Where is she?! Where are you?!"

Bibi spoke up, "Don't hurt her. She's just confused."

'Didn't plan on it.' He took a second to observe his surroundings. They were hidden in a pocket with zero light exposure. His dark clothes and dark feathers allowing him to blend in. 'She must be hiding. And she's using me as a shield so they can't see her white pelt.' He made a mental note to compliment her on that strategy later.

He used his peripheral vision to see her. Taking notice of her hands moving up to her face. He watched as she licked the marks across her arm like a wounded animal. His usually stone heart broke at the sight. He didn't know how to help her. Or at least, he didn't know how to stop her without violence.

He steeled his nerves, he'd apologize later; for now, he needed to act. He quickly dropped the plates he gathered, the sound of ceramics shattering filling the room. He threw a precise elbow shot at her face. His goal was her cheek, he didn't want to aim for her temple lest he causes serious damage. A clean shot to the jaw would lay her out for the rest of the night.

Instead, his arm was engulfed by the fangs of his self-proclaimed daughter. A searing pain coursing through his arm as he tried to remain calm. For a second, he didn't react besides hissing from the pain. Then he realized Nita hadn't fully bit down. She locked eyes with him as she clamped her jaw, her teeth sinking to his bones.

He screeched in pain, Nita refusing to relinquish her grip on him. He stumbled into the open, swinging his arm as he tried to throw her off. "Get her!" he screeched in his true voice.

Bibi ran up to him, pulling on Nita's legs. She unclamped her jaw, allowing Bibi to fall backward with Nita landing on top. She jumped off her chest using her head as a battering ram to slam into Crow's beak.

She landed on the ground again, only to be blasted by a charging attack from Bull. Nita's body fell to the wayside crashing into her own splintered rubble.

Bibi jumped up, "Don't hurt her!"

Bull looked down at his cousin, "Are you serious?! She's been kicking our asses since we got in here."

"She's just scared. We can reach her. We don't have to hurt her."

"Oh, don't worry. She won't feel a thing." Bull walked up to the splintered wood. He wasn't lying, he was going to knock her out in one punch. When he got to her landing zone, her body had disappeared. "Where did she…?"

A sharp pain entered his right calf. He fell to his knee as he reached behind his leg, pulling out a large splinter of wood. Another jagged piece of wood appeared in his left arm. One by one each limb was punctured by the giant shards of flooring until he was left immobile on the floor.

She appeared before him; her face covered in crimson streaks. He couldn't tell where her blood ended and her victims' began. He smiled up at the kid as she revealed two more giant shards. "Not bad…" He slowly shut his eyes accepting his fate.

A metal bar slipped under her throat. Both shards falling as she tried to fight the object from cutting off her oxygen supply. Bibi stood up, lifting Nita by her throat. "Please go to sleep," she groaned through clenched teeth. Nita squirmed and wiggled under the bar, trying her best to fight out of the hold. Bull and Bibi's moods brightened as her fighting slowed. Her eyes shutting as she seemed to slowly pass out.

Bibi started to smile, loosening her grip to catch her lifeless body. But in a last breath of energy, Nita lifted her leg high into the air. Then swung it as far back as she could, colliding with Bibi's groin.

Bibi's eyes turned to stars as she lost all strength in her body. She felt an intense shiver rock her core like her entire body was covered with pins and needles. She couldn't get any air into her lungs; she was just heaving on the floor.

Nita was still a girl possessed. She slowly reached down for another shard of wood, her tiny knuckles whitening with her grip. She was so focused on finishing Bibi; she didn't even notice the monster behind her. Her body was wrapped up in a killer hug. Bull's grip tightening with each second. He could feel her bones bending under his grip.

Bull's eyes were enraged as he tried to squeeze the life out of the girl. His arms seeming to explode with blood at the strain he was putting on his body. Nita's pained screams brought Crow back to his feet, "Don't…" He clutched his aching beak, "Don't hurt her."

Bull couldn't hear him, his mind was clouded with rage. Nita used her sure-fire strategy, biting. Her teeth digging deep into Bull's enormous arms. Her claw-like fingernails ripping at his hands. Bull grunted but didn't loosen. The pain made him tighten his grip.

Bibi was next to speak up, her voice hoarse as she tried to talk through the pain. "Don't… do it. She's… family."

Bibi's words reached Bull's ears. His frustration growing at their ridiculous claims. "You're both idiots!" He tried to tighten his grip, but for some reason, he couldn't put any more strength into his arms.

He tried to squeeze her, but his body refused to listen. He looked down at the girl. Her teeth were still gnashing and tearing at his arms. In all cases, his rage should be growing, but for some reason, he couldn't do it.

He clenched his teeth, "Nita!" Somehow, "Kid!" In a strange way, "Panda!" He understood how they felt, "Uncle Bull doesn't want to hurt you!" He roared his last line as he allowed his grip to loosen. Preparing for Nita to fight back once again.

Instead, he felt Nita's teeth slowly leave his body. Her fingernails no longer slashing at his skin. He looked down at the child in his hands, her head turning left and right as she observed the wreckage. She looked upward, her white eyes seemed soft and sweet. Bull swallowed some saliva, "Panda Bear?"

"Uncle?"

Bull sighed, "That's right… Uncle Bull's here."

Nita looked at the wreckage. Her eyes falling on Bibi, "Momma Bibi?"

Bibi continued to clutch her privates, her response raspy and hoarse. "Hey, baby girl."

"Are you okay?"

"Oh, I'm fine," she painfully smiled. "Just taking a nap."

Nita's head swiveled to an approaching Crow. He was holding his arm, a dark stain forming down his jacket sleeve. "Papa Crow?"

"I'm okay," his voice was deep and lifeless, but he tried to sound as friendly as possible. As he sat down beside them, his hand vacantly rubbed his beak.

Nita turned around to Bull, her mind now processing the blood pouring down his arms and nose. "Mr. Bull?"

Bull took a deep breath, "It's Uncle now. Uncle Bull." Bull laid down with Nita still in his arms, "And Uncle Bull says we all need a nap."

Nita's body laid parallel in his arms. "But I'm not-" she tried to speak but was cut off by a tiny yawn.

"See you're sleepy."

Nita pouted, "But you've been gone all day. Today's been so boring." The three adults groaned at her gripes. Nita's questioning continued until she slowly fell asleep in Bull's arms. The larger man peeking down at her, she had shifted so that her cheek was resting on his chest. Her face using his pectorals as pillows. He watched as she softly snoozed away, her face and clothes still covered in blood and sweat.

Bibi started to recover from Nita's low blow. Her face happy as she watched Nita rest, "She's pretty cute when she's not ripping us to shreds, huh?"

Bull looked back at the kid; his face too tired to smile. "Yeah."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Came out a day late for... personal reasons. Anyway hope you enjoyed, leave a comment and drop a Kudo if so. And if you've got some critiques let me know. I just got a critique on a different website and well... it was fun fixing my mistakes.  
> The next chapter drops on November 20, 2020.  
> Thanks for reading another one of...  
> Sammy's Silly Scripts.


	6. Change Gonna Come

The cops stormed the building shortly after the battle concluded. Bull and Crow shushing them as they pointed to the child on his chest. The officers went through their usual procedures; searching the building for any suspects, checking the rescued hostages, and conducting interviews with the witnesses. The paramedics approached the group, taking Nita up in a warm towel as they tended to Crow and Bull's wounds. Bull allowed them to patch him up, but his eyes followed the men moving through his diner. He noticed three officers, and who he assumed to be their captain, moving into the kitchen.

Crow took notice, nodding his head as he ran a distraction for the paramedics. Yelling and screaming in faux pain while Bull walked away. When he went to the kitchen, he was happy to see most of the officers gathered around the tiny side room in the back of the kitchen. A few officers could be seen taking pictures and gathering reports from the hostages.

Bull approached them slowly, "What's the problem officers?"

The same officer as before stood upfront, his white mustache was slightly frayed. "Well, sir, my men have been reviewing the security cameras-"

"I don't remember giving you permission."

"Don't need it. Article 34 on the subject of armed robberies: The Retropolis police department has the right to examine all security cameras that belong to the business being attacked without consent from the business owner." Bull's nostrils flared. "Upon review of the security tapes, we noticed a few outliers. We rewound the tapes to about fifteen minutes before the call was received. Would you care to look with us?"

Bull stepped into the tiny room. The tape currently playing was a video feed of one of the corners of the diner. He watched as three thugs ran past the camera then ran back to gather more members. The camera was quiet for a while, with no movement on-screen. Then suddenly a door flew into the wall. Followed by the body of one of the robbers. For a split-second, a shadow passed across the bottom of the feed, followed by gunshots and grow men screaming like children.

As they continued watching, it became clearer that the shadow rushing through the cameras was Nita. The tiny child ripping through the robbers like paper mache. Bull smiled down at the officers, "Any problems."

"Several actually. First, we found your little... man cave. There's no documentation of an underground bunker in the schematics of this building."

"I paid the mortgage off on this diner years ago. I don't have to report any renovations to the city."

"Fair enough. Second," he played a specific part of the camera feed. Freeze framing on Nita throwing a man into a still burning grill. "Who… Actually, what is that?"

Bull found himself smiling at the image, "That's Nita."

"What the fuck is a Nita?"

"She" -he added a little emphasis on her pronoun- "is a kid my cousin adopted. She was hanging out in the diner while we were away."

The officers pressed the fast-forward button stopping on a feed inside the main lobby. Bull watched as Nita stood atop the counter, using a spare bottle to bash some poor bastard's head. His heart sunk when he saw the flashing gunshots off-screen. Nita's body collapsing behind the table. He found himself waiting on baited breaths. The robbers on-screen laughed merrily until they saw her rise again. Her face was covered in blood as she bared her teeth.

The men watched as the girl literally ripped the man that shot her limb from limb. Bull remembered seeing a body bag amongst the injured bodies, now he knew why. The officer paused the video, "And that?"

Bull was surprised, "Honestly, that's new."

The officers grumbled to one another before the chief spoke up, "That brings me to my last point." He nodded his head towards some men, they walked away leaving the two alone. "She held off most of our officers by herself for nearly half an hour."

"Yeah, pretty impressive, right?"

"Very impressive. Which is why she's under arrest."

Bull choked on his tongue, "What?" He looked toward the kitchen exit.

"Sir she has left over a dozen officers either immobile, in critical condition, or mentally unfit for combat."

"Oh, boo-hoo your puny mental stability." Bull began to walk towards the exit, the commanding officer stepping in his way.

"Sir not only has she assaulted several officers, but she also participated in voluntary manslaughter."

"That was self-defense and you know it." Bull pushed him to the side. The officer holding him by his arm.

"That child is a living weapon, a freak of nature, and needs to be contained for the good of our society."

Bull turned to face him, "Okay first off, your best men couldn't contain her on her worst day. Second, she's not a weapon, she's a ten-year-old girl that was trying to protect herself. And third!" Bull picked the captain up by his collar. Easily lifting the grown man high above his head. Bull's arms reached high enough to slam his head against the foam ceiling, "Call her a freak again and you're gonna find out just how many strings I can pull in this town."

He threw the officer aside on that statement, rushing out the door. He didn't understand what he was doing, he just knew that no one could hurt her. When he stepped outside, the carnage had begun anew. He saw Bibi holding onto a swaddled Nita, the tiny child resting peacefully amongst the chaos. In front of them was Crow, his arms spread out wide to protect the girls.

Two officers stood in front of him, with more slowly approaching. One of them showed their solid steel handcuffs, the other flashing his firearm. "Come on bird boy. You really wanna do this?"

Crow flicked his wrists, three blades slipping from his sleeves between each of his knuckles. He crossed his arms over his chest, "Do you?"

More officers showed up aiming their guns at the trio. Many of the paramedics hid behind the nearby tables and seats as they observed the scene. Crow stood off against what felt like half of the police force while Bibi held Nita close to her heart. Her free hand gripping her signature metal bat.

Bull turned back to the kitchen doors, the captain slowly walking out. He took him by his shoulders, "Call them off!" The captain was prepared for this. His face was unwavering as he made the call.

"Arrest the girl. Treat anyone that protects her as collateral."

Bull's heart sank at the command. He turned to see some officers moving on Crow's position. His eyes wild as he desperately tried to find a way to save them. He could only think of one thing a cop would want.

"Wanna make a deal?"

* * *

The giant bag he carried was torture on his back, he could feel his spine popping with every step. He dropped the giant sack in the middle of the village. A few of the members walking up to observe the contents and basking in its beauty. From the side, Rosa approached the growing crowd, marveling at his bounty.

"Well well well. Looks like someone's been working hard."

Leon dusted off his hoodie, his voice coming out between exasperated breaths. "Non-stop for 6 days. Backbreaking labor. Worth every second." He pushed the bag over, allowing a large sum of gemstones to spill to the ground.

A deeper voice called from behind him, "Yes, he has worked very hard." The villagers turned to Bo, their leader taking his time as he approached the village. He scanned the crowd, "Speaking of working hard. Rosa, where's our guest?"

She smirked over her shoulder, "Hey pretty boy."

From around a tent came Brock. His usual jacket and jeans ditched for more primitive clothing; a pair of animal skin pants with loose cloths around his torso. His face was sunken inward as he trudged over with a plow in hand, "Yes ma'am?"

Bo smiled at the defeated husk that was Brock. "Hard at work?"

"Yes sir," Brock's body seemed to shamble along. His eyes dull and lifeless as he tried to stay on his feet.

Bo leaned into Rosa, "What have you been doing to him since we left?"

Rosa returned a bright smile, "A hard day's work." Rosa stood beside Brock, resting her arm on his shoulder. "Guess what Brock. You're going home tomorrow. Excited?"

Brock's eyes brightened, "Yes ma'am." Rosa patted his head like a dog, the larger woman laughing at his enthusiasm.

Bo smiled from the sideline, a tugging on his arm drawing his attention. Below him stood Leon, the young boy's lips turned down as he looked up. "I'm coming with you." Bo gave Leon his full attention, "No matter what you say or what I'll have to do; I'm coming with you."

Bo placed his palm on his shoulder, "Of course my boy. You will be in attendance for the reunion with your sister." Bo gripped the boy's shoulder. He could feel the difference in width through his hoodie. The boy had grown immensely. In just six days his body had developed so much. He wished to understand the reason behind him and his sister's physical abilities, but that was a secret lost in time. For now, he just thanked the gods for their gift.

Bo looked back to Rosa, the larger woman ruffling Brock's hair. "Rosa! Will you be joining us in retrieving Nita?"

"Of course. I miss the red devil. Besides," she pinched Brock's cheeks. "I wanna say goodbye to my special assistant." Brock locked eyes with Bo, his lips mouthing 'help me' as he smiled awkwardly.

Bo laughed heartedly, looking down at Leon expecting him to join in the fun. Instead, he looked behind himself to see Leon standing on the village edge. His hands in his pockets as he stared off into the sunset. Bo silently approached him, choosing not to speak rather listen.

"I can feel her, Bo." A fierce wind blew over them, their clothes flowing as he continued to stare at nothing. "I can feel it. Her anger, frustration, worry. I can feel so many emotions running through her." He looked at his blistered hand, "And I'm too weak to save her."

"You are not weak my boy. You are stronger than many men who have been in your shoes. Most men that found their loved ones taken would go on a rampage. But you, you remained calm, negotiated a deal, and did everything in your power to meet their demands. That takes strength."

"What's strong about hiding behind money?"

"You did not hide. He chose the battle; you chose the battlefield."

Leon slid his thumb across the blades he kept in his sleeves, "We should have taken the fight to them."

"A fight on their home-field would be suicide. We give them what they want, and we guarantee Nita's safe return."

Leon blew an exasperated breath, leaving the blade in his sleeve. He looked back toward the setting sun, "She's hurting."

Bo comforted him, "One day. One more day, then we fix everything."

* * *

Nita's eyes were squinted as she peered from under her panda pelt. There were five men in front of her. Each challenging her for a spot at the top. The other four had accepted her strength and backed off accordingly, but one stood tall. The boss, Bull.

She didn't fear anyone or anything, but she was nervous. He had proven on several occasions that he was the boss for a reason. To challenge his position on the throne was like trying to take meat from a lion; Suicide.

A hand rested on her shoulder. Bibi crouching to her ear as she whispered advice. If anyone knew Bull it was her; all his strengths, all his weaknesses. She was a vault of secrets that Bull wished to keep shut. But she had aligned herself with the young girl and now Nita had access to all the power.

Her eyes fell to the battlefield that separated them. A king stood at the front dressed in black clovers with a pair of twins following close behind. One dressed in bright red hearts, the other dressed in dazzling diamonds. The next members were a family of flower-bearing sextuplets and a matching queen for the king.

Nita looked back at Bull; it was his turn to make a move. She watched as he pushed forward his army of minions. The size of his forces would have made her cower, but she had a strategy. Bibi started to whisper some advice, but Nita quickly silenced her advisor. Her tiny hand reaching up to quiet her flapping lips.

She stared directly into the heart of Bull. He was the kind of man to sacrifice others for his gain, but he wasn't a man to make bets he couldn't win. She pushed her entire army forward, her troops dwarfing his in size.

Bull looked back at the girl, their souls clashing as the air grew thicker. Then with a heavy hand, Bull placed his artillery on the ground, surrendering to Nita's offensive. Bibi couldn't help but break out into hysterics at Bull's withdrawal. "What's so funny?" he grumbled towards his cousin.

Bibi motioned for Nita to show her cards. The girl revealing a pair of pocket sevens. Bull's eyes widened at the garbage hand. He flipped his hand over to show a 2 of diamonds and a random 9 of hearts. Crow leaned over his shoulder, "Why didn't you play that?"

"How was I supposed to know she was bluffing? She doesn't even know what we're playing?"

Nita looked up from the massive pile of chips in her face. "Go Fish?"

Bull gave her a frustrated grumble as he rose from his seat, "I'm out." He requested the dealer save his balance for the next game, Crow following him out of the main lobby. The two men stood outside his office, watching the party continue.

Nita was currently raking in another small pile of chips as Bibi laughed wildly behind her. Bull let out a short and stiff snort, "She only laughs like that when she's busting someone's skull."

"Yes, now she seems to smile every day."

Bull let his eyes rest on Crow. The smaller bird was showing a new emotion, contentment. Bull's eyes widened as he inspected his beak, "You're…?" Crow turned back to him; his posture inquisitive. "You're smiling?"

Crow's hand rested on his face, "Strange. I seem to do that a lot lately." Crow glanced at Bull, "What about you."

"Me?"

"Yeah. You lost in a game of poker, but instead of taking their thumbs, you let 'em keep their winnings. You've changed too."

Bull looked back at the table. Most of the men had left the table, choosing to accept defeat rather than lose more money to the child. Bull looked down at his callused palms, his massive fingers balling up. "So I have…"

Bull pushed open his office door, Crow following close behind. He took a seat at his desk while the bird stood in front. The two sat in silence while Bull lit another cigar.

Crow broke the silence, "It's a shame."

"Hm?"

"It's a shame, sir."

"What's a shame?"

"Tomorrow. She's leaving."

Bull knocked the ashes off his cigar, "Right, almost forgot. Even cut that deal with that officer yesterday to keep her safe."

"If you don't mind me asking, what was that deal?"

"Simple, just like all the other filthy pigs that work on the Retropolis Police Force. He wanted money; I gave him money."

Crow wasn't buying it, "He was the chief of police. A simple bribe would never be enough."

Bull rocked back in his chair, blowing a giant cloud of smoke. "He didn't ask for that much… about 2% of a month's revenue."

Crow's eyes bulged out his head, "2%!? Sir, you make 18,939,393 coins a month. 2% of that is still roughly 300,000 coins." Crow did some quick math in his head, his feathers started to stand up. "That's over 50,000 gems!"

Bull raised an eyebrow, Crow seemed exasperated. He hadn't seen Crow show this much emotion in years, "Your point?"

"Spending that much money on a kid we're just going to return in a day? Are you insane?!" Bull blew some smoke out his nose, Crow bit his tongue. "Sorry, sir. I overstepped."

Bull rose from his seat, his massive steps echoing in the tiny room as he approached Crow. The bird had his hands at his sides, awaiting the punishment he deserved. A shot to the gut, a quick choking, even a thunderous blow to the head wouldn't be unexpected. But the attack never came, he listened as Bull walked past him. The sound of the door opening signaling his position.

Crow turned to see Bull with the door slightly cracked open, the larger man peaking outside. Crow joined him watching as a chef came to the underground bunker, "An order for Mrs. Bibi?" He presented a large silver platter with two large burgers resting atop.

Nita ran up with Bibi just behind her, "And me? What about my food?"

The chef warmly smiled down at her, "And of course I didn't forget our resident panda bear's favorite meal." He put his free hand in his mouth, whistling towards the stairwell. A waiter came down with an extra-large plate, the giant T-bone steak oozing over the sides. "An extra-large steak for our fierce fighter. Medium rare, just how you like it."

Nita's mouth was leaking a thick drool as she reached out for the meal. Bibi pushed her hands down, "Nita. What do we say to our chefs before we eat?"

Nita stared up at the chef, her eyes shifting to jagged triangles as she bared her fangs. "It better taste good."

The chef gladly accepted the threat, hearing it from her mouth was wonderful. "Of course, Madam Nita. I would never fail you." Bibi and Nita retreated to the converted storage room.

Crow followed Bull to the storage room, the two men shooing the other members out of the basement. They pushed the door ajar; Bibi was sitting beside Nita on her bed. The larger girl taking her time while Nita tore into the giant slab of meat.

There was a somber look on her face; she seemed less interested in the sandwich and more on the girl before her. "Hey, Panda Bear…" she paused as she awaited a response. The tiny girl just looking at her with a mouthful of steak. "Are you… excited?"

Nita swallowed as much food as she could, talking through stuffed cheeks. "Excited for what?"

"Tomorrow, you're going home."

"Oh." Nita took a large gulp, "It's been seven days?"

"Yep. Tomorrow you finally get to go home." Bull and Crow watched as Bibi choked out her next words between soft sniffles. "Aren't you excited?"

Nita rocked back and forth for a second, "Not really."

The two secret watchers leaned closer, Bibi saying what they were thinking. "Why not?"

"I can't have fun in my village. The only people that I can play with are my brother and Ms. Rosa. Everyone else always gets hurt. And whenever I hurt someone, they always tell Mr. Bo and I get in trouble." She turned to look Bibi in the eyes, "But here I get to use all my strength against everyone. Yesterday a guy asked me to arm wrestle him. And when I broke his arm, he just laughed and bought me a drink." She gave Bibi a toothy grin, "It's way more fun here than at home."

Bibi's heart skipped a beat. She didn't expect that response. The girl wasn't one for words, but that was probably the most emotional thing she said in the six days she had been here. But Bibi knew she needed to let go; it would be better for both if they prepared to separate. She decided to remind her of home, "What about your family? You're finally gonna see your brother again." She choked back another painful sob, "Tell your father and… mother you love them." She held her hand over her mouth for a second, fighting back the tears.

"I don't have a momma."

Bibi's heart stopped for a second, "W-What?"

"I don't have a momma. Or a papa."

Bibi slowly leaned forward, "Really?"

"Yep. I wasn't old enough when they left. Leon said they went to a better place when I was a baby. So, I never met them." Nita took another large bite of her steak. "You're the closest thing to a momma I've ever had."

Bibi's breath grew heavy, she couldn't handle this. She couldn't lose her, but she needed to let go. She would have said something, but Nita continued her train of thought. The words flowing from her like water from a spout.

"Oh, I'm gonna miss Papa Crow too. And Uncle Bull." She giggled out that statement. "But most of all," she looked up at Bibi. "I'm gonna miss you… Momma."

Bibi snapped. The waterworks flowing freely as she snatched Nita up in her arms. The younger girl dropped her steak as she found herself inside Bibi's lap. Her head inside Bibi's chest, "I can't do it. I can't lose you!" She buried her face into Nita's pelt. Her body on fire as she let years of pent-up emotions spew out. "I haven't felt this happy in years. And now I'm sadder than I've ever been in my life. I can't give you up. I won't give you up. I'll adopt you. They can't take you if you're legally my daughter."

Nita readjusted herself in Bibi's lap. She grabbed Bibi's face, slowly bringing her head to Bibi's skull. For a second, Bibi's lamentation stopped. Her breath halting as she listened to their shared heartbeats. Nita's eyes were shut as she whispered, "It's okay Momma, I promise I'll visit." Bibi's weeps only grew as she clutched onto Nita for life.

Bull slowly shut the door; the sound of his cousin crying wasn't a sound he needed to hear. He looked down to the ground, his mind trying to process what he just heard. His cerebrum trying to rationalize the future of the diner. He hated to admit it, but with Nita's absence, there would be a drastic shift in the diner's atmosphere.

He looked to Crow, hoping to find some solace in his cold words. Those lifeless eyes would be a source of comfort in a far too emotional environment. Instead, his body froze, the bull looking down at the crow in bewilderment.

Crow's body shifted to focus on Bull, "What's wrong, sir?"

"Your… eyes." He pointed a shaky finger at Crow, "Your… face."

Crow slowly reached up to his face, he felt a wet spot on his cheek.

"You're… crying."

Crow's face was frozen. His mouth was emotionless, his voice was unwavering, but his eyes were puffy and red. A stream of salty tears streaking down his leather jacket.

Crow continued to inspect his face. His mind trying to comprehend his involuntary actions. "Sir…" he looked up at Bull. His emotionless face was terrifying as he stared into his painful eyes. He trained him to remove all his emotions yet somehow, "Sir. I don't want her to leave."

Bull leaned against the wall, clutching his chest. It felt like he was going to have a heart attack. Worst than that, he could feel a new emotion boiling up to the surface. He felt joy watching the girl tear through that obese bastard a few days ago, he felt pride as he watched her rip through the cops and robbers last night, and now he felt something he had lost years ago. A feeling reserved for immediate family members only.

Love.

He leaned against the door, the soft sobs of Bibi leaking out the cracks. Crow said he didn't want Nita to leave and now Bull couldn't fight this feeling any longer. In this one moment, he finally accepted the truth, "I don't want her to leave either."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Was that emotional? I hope it was emotional. I don't expect anyone to cry reading one of my silly stories but I hope that you can sympathize with my characters.
> 
> Okay, big news! We're Keeping Her is going overseas! I was contacted by a Chinese reader in the comments. They took such a liking to my story that they decided to post it on their blog with a Chinese translation. Since Brawl Stars is new to China it only makes sense to try and reach their audience while the game is still popular. With this translation, we will be able to show the eastern Brawl Stars fans how creative and active our western fans are. The story hasn't been posted yet as we are still working out the translations but you can find the blog at this link, https://yuanzhang233.lofter.com. Please if you are a Chinese fan reading this story (or fluent in Chinese) please give this blog a view and see how well the translator did in their translation. And of course, check out some of their other stuff. From what I saw (and could understand) it seems as though they are a big Bull fan. So my Bull fans, rise up and check out this blog.
> 
> So it looks like Bull has finally accepted his feelings about Nita. Now how will that change the outcome of his deal? Find out in the next chapter, *title drop here*.
> 
> Thank you and I hope to see you next time in another one of...  
> Sammy's Silly Scripts.


	7. *title drop here*

The sun was torture on their skin. A broiling pot of flesh and follicles across their face and forearms. Inside his hoodie, it was as if an oven was cooking Thanksgiving dinner. Leon blocked some of the light with his hand, the rays of heat visible on the horizon. "How do people live here," his lollipop bobbing up and down as he spoke.

Rosa approached him from behind, "You're telling me." He turned back to see her hair drooping down, the leaves stuck in her afro were drying up from the heat. "I'm wilting here." She pulled on the rope in her hand, Brock trudging beside her.

The man had a loose knot tied around his neck and a makeshift harness attached to his torso. Behind him (being pulled by a sleigh) was the giant sack of emeralds and gemstones Leon mined over the past seven days. He was dripping even more sweat than both of them. "Brock, give me your shirt," Rosa ordered.

"What?!"

"I'm sweating enough to quench the village's thirst for three days. Give me your shirt."

"No!" He put his hands over his chest, "Wipe your sweat with your own shirt."

Rosa snapped his cheeks in her fist, a chilling smile across her face. Her eyes softly shut behind her glasses, "Until your boss gets here, you're still under my control. You don't want to get embarrassed in front of Leon."

Brock's face was distraught as he thought about his choices. His eyes pleading as he whimpered, "But it's embarrassing to be the only one without a shirt."

Rosa lifted his chin higher, her face aggressive as she looked down at him. "Strip." Brock's eyes started to water as he slowly took off his shirt. His bird chest visible to the scorching sun. She politely thanked him as she wiped the sweat off her forehead and from her scalp. She quickly dapped under her arms before tossing the cloth back in his face. "See was that so hard?"

Brock was barely audible, "No ma'am."

Rosa let her eyes inspect his frame, "Good. Now put it back on."

"W-What?" Brock looked up to her, his eyes pleading for her to be joking. Leon's face was hidden but even he was startled by her request.

"We're not animals. Put your clothes back on."

"B-But, your sweat's all over it."

Rosa's voice got lower, "I said… put… it… on." Brock whined meekly as he put the shirt back on. The cold sweat chilling his overheating body. Rosa's sadistic smile came back, she softly rubbed his head. "How does it feel, Brocky?"

Brock was practically on the verge of tears, "…Moist."

"Good boy."

Leon made a mental note not to disrespect Rosa. It was like she turned him into her pet. He tried to turn away but their interaction was like a train wreck. He couldn't look away.

The gruff sound of a man clearing his throat broke the awkward scene. They turned to the entrance of the bazaar. Bo walked out with a woman wrapped in pink and purple garbs by his side. The woman's bright eye could be seen between the cracks of her unique burqa. "Good news. Our new ally Tara has granted us the pleasure of using her buildings for shelter."

The mysterious woman waved their way, her single eye squinting as she possibly smiled at them. Bo continued to speak, "She has also told her workers to direct Bull and his men to our building upon their arrival." He turned back to Tara, taking her hands in his larger grip. "We cannot thank you enough for your help." He brought her hand to his lips, placing a soft kiss upon her knuckles. She affectionately waved him off as she retreated inside the large market.

Bo turned back to his companions; Rosa was giving him a smug look as Tara walked away. The Chieftain was confused, "What?"

Inside the market were several eccentric stores. Ranging from souvenir shops to the native cooking from Tara's culture. The Ardacians found shelter inside a store called, 'Gene's Lamporium'. The store advertising several genie-themed items and novelties. They currently sat against the wall with a large assortment of multi-colored magic lamps sitting on several shelves. Using the spare gems they gathered while mining, they bought some snacks and drinks to pass the time. Leon decided to pop a fresh new sucker between his lips, the strange flavors in the market had caught his eye.

While Rosa, Bo, and Leon sat at the table; Brock was forced to sit against the wall. The leash of his rope collar dangling at his side. A few judging stares were shot in their direction, but a far more intimidating snarl from Rosa silenced their judgment.

They sat there for a while. Seconds turned to minutes, minutes into hours. They sat there until a new staff of workers showed up for the next shift. Leon was the first to speak up, "Where is he?"

"Patience young one, he will come with time."

"You said that an hour ago!" Leon was standing up in his seat, voicing his discourse openly in the public building. A few eyes drifted in their direction, but their conversation continued unhindered.

"We must not rush this, Leon. If we do, we risk losing this deal. We can't risk Nita's safety because of our impatience."

Rosa knocked back another drink, pulling the knots out of her hair as it rose to its true height. "Actually, Bo, I have to side with Leon. We've been waiting for hours now. How do we know he's still coming?" She turned to their captive, "Ey Brock, where's your boss?"

"How am I supposed to know?" he coldly responded. He quietly muttered, "Crazy Brit," between his teeth.

She swiftly clamped her fingers around his neck, "Speak up honey, I think I misheard you."

"I-I-I said I don't know ma'am." He tried to calm himself down as she slowly squeezed his throat. She reframed from cutting off his oxygen, but she made her point clear. Her free hand reached between her breasts, pulling out Brock's cell phone. His eyes lit up at the device, "I thought you trashed it."

"I kept it safe." She placed the device in his hands, "Now call him."

Brock tried a few buttons on the front, but the screen remained black. "It's dead."

Rosa blew a frustrated breath, reaching between her breasts again to retrieve her cellular device. "Use mine."

Brock looked at the home screen, an image of Rosa and Bea posing beside a small robot he met a few days ago. He went to the phone app, remembering another key detail. "Umm… I don't know the number by hard."

Rosa huffed before standing up. She got directly in front of Brock, the smaller male staring up into her soft eyes. Her smile was so comforting to look at, he felt her soft hands caressing his cheek. They ran across his face, slowly moving towards the side of his head, then pulling on his ear with a dangerous amount of force. It felt like she was trying to rip it off.

She slowly leaned down to his ear, "Remember it."

Bo and Leon sat on the side, watching Brock frantically input numbers searching for the right string of digits. With each failed call, the group grew anxious. Leon was certain that Brock wasn't going to find the right number. He chose to pass the time by watching the patrons patrolling the parlor. They all refocused on him when he uttered the words, "Boss? It's me."

Rosa signaled for him to put the call on speaker. They all listened as the sound of loud music spewed from the device. A gruff voice yelling over the background noise, "Do you have any idea how little that narrows it down? You're gonna have to be more specific."

"It's Brock, sir."

"Brock?!" Deep laughter could be heard from the other side. "Hey, Bibi! Get this, Twinkle Toes is on the phone." There was a brief pause, the sound of people and party music bursting through the phone unhindered. "Bibi? Ah, she's busy. How are ya, you sad excuse for a henchman?"

"Sir?"

"You sound like a freshly neutered dog." Brock whimpered from the insult.

Leon snatched the phone from his hands, "Where are you?!"

"Huh? Who's this?"

"My name is Leon! I'm the brother of the girl you stole!" A few bystanders gasped at the conversation they were hearing.

"Leo? Girl? Oh! You! I forgot about you. How've you been kid?" Bull's voice was nonchalant and carefree.

Leon's blood was boiling, "Where's Nita?"

"Nita? You mean Panda Bear? She's playing with the customers. I'm sure she's somewhere around here… Nita!?" A high-pitched voice was barely audible in the background, followed by another deeper voice. "Oh sorry, looks like Nita's busy right now. Would you like me to give her a message?"

Leon's rage was flowing freely until Bo grabbed the phone. He cleared his throat before speaking, "Hello Bull."

Bull's demeanor changed, "And the men finally get to speak."

"Why do you delay Nita's return?" Bull remained quiet, "Perhaps it's the payment you require. I can assure you we have gained more than the necessary-"

"Payment is not a problem." All the bystanders waited on bated breath as Bull let the tension grow. "And there is no delay."

"Then when will you arrive?"

There was an eerie silence in the air, "I won't."

All the listeners recoiled from his statement. Leon leaned forward, "What?"

"I've grown fond of the kid. And most of the diner loves her as well. I can see why you want her back. Honestly, it's unfair that you kept such an amazing child hidden from the world. So, I think she's gonna stay here for a while."

Bo took over, "That wasn't the deal."

"The deal's changed. Now we keep the kid and you keep that waste of space called Brock." All eyes turned to Brock as he too grew enraged.

Leon spoke up, "You promised to return her. Brock already told us, it's me you wanted not her!"

"Hitler promised not to invade Czechoslovakia, welcome to the real-world kid. Besides, I would have returned her if she wanted to go back."

"What?"

"You should see how much fun she's having."

All the listeners fell silent. Bo's face was frozen as he tried to understand what he heard, Rosa was feeling a new rage boil inside her. Leon's face was riddled with despair, "I-I don't understand."

"Ugh… how do I have to say this for you mountain men to understand? Brock, turn on face cam." The abandoned minion didn't budge so Rosa did it for him. On the screen was a large male with jet black hair. His golden nose ring shining from dim lights within his room. A sickening smile across his lips as he looked into the camera, "We're Keeping Her."

The screen turned black, silence falling over the crowd. A low growl rose from the hooded boy. His teeth snapping the lollipop into tiny chunks. He threw a razor blade into the phone. A guttural screech flowing from his stomach as his frustration erupted like a volcano. More blades were dispersed from his sleeves. Several of the lamps around the emporium being the main target. A few unlucky customers were caught up in the attack, their skin punctured and pierced by the sharp discs.

His outburst ended as soon as it began. The boy huffing and heaving for air beside the overturned table. Bo peaked his head, followed by Rosa and a slightly restrained Brock. The trio observing the boy silently. The groans of nearby customers spurred a decision. It would be best to show the boy's sweet side, it could help them avoid any further problems with the patrons.

Brock decided to step up, he hadn't done much since arriving. The least he could do was help calm the enraged child. He took his time, slowly approaching the boy from the front. The hushed warnings of Rosa and Bo falling on deaf ears. She reached for her rope but saw that Brock had the line balled up in his hands.

Bo tapped her shoulder, pointing her attention at the boy in the middle. There was a dark overcast over his face. His hood hiding his facial expressions. To bystanders, he seemed to be tired but for Rosa and Bo, they could sense his deadly aura.

Brock released the extra rope, using his freed hands to scratch the back of his head. He wasn't one to give speeches, but he'd heard a few from Bull. "Listen, kid… I get it." Rosa tried to call him back, but he pushed forward. "I'm sure your sister is okay. Bull's a monster but he's not heartless." A few bystanders behind Leon could feel the change in the atmosphere. They tried to give Brock a warning, but he kept talking.

"If it makes you feel any better," he rested his hand on Leon's head. He had a sincere smile across his face. Like an older brother trying to sympathize with the youngest child. "I hate him too."

"haha," a soft chuckle came from the boy. Brock's skin shivered from the sound, his hands retracting to his body. Leon kept laughing softly, the unsettling sound a drastic contrast to his prior demeanor. With an unsteady breath, Brock decided to join him. A low snickering starting up from the older man.

The two stood there for a few seconds, softly laughing together. As Leon got louder, Brock matched his intensity. The boy's head rising as he continued to laugh wildly. Brock smiled down at the boy, "See, that's the spirit." He reached for a friendly shoulder bump.

The boy moved like water, his body shifting effortlessly to the side. He grabbed Brock's left arm, using his knee and elbow to snap his elbow in the opposite direction. The bystanders gasped in horror. Bo and Rosa groaned at the sight. However, Brock's mind was too slow to register the action. When he finally felt the pain, he released a blood-curdling screech. At least he would have, if not for Leon stuffing Brock's mouth with his broken arm.

Brock's muffled screams were silenced by a swift flipping kick to the jaw. The sound of his teeth chomping down on his appendages was followed by a projectile of blood flying from his mouth. Leon quickly landed and ripped Brock's leash down, his knee colliding with Brock's nose. The bones shattering into several tiny pieces. Brock stumbled backward, crumbling against the turned-over table. He whined pathetically while Leon calmly walked towards him. His soft chuckles like torture in Brock's ears.

"It was you." Brock let his hand fall out his mouth, the boy slowly approaching him. "None of this would have happened if it wasn't for you." His footsteps echoed through the room, "If you didn't suck at your job; if you never came to our village, my sister would be safe." More blades appeared in his hands, he swiftly sent them into Brock's arms. The pain was overwhelming, but his throat couldn't produce any sounds. His mouth just oozed blood. "Because of you, she's being held hostage miles away from home. She's alone, she's scared, she's in pain."

More blades flew into his thighs. Brock was immobile, his body unresponsive. The only sign of life coming from his horrified face; a contorted mess of fear and regret. A body stepped in his path, Bo standing tall in the face of the boy's ferocity. "My boy, quell your rage." Leon stopped moving. His hands resting inside his hoodie pockets. For a moment Bo thought the boy had calmed down, but he felt an intense heat radiating off his body. He could pull out his bow, self-defense was strongly advised when dealing with the boy. But he knew that would only fuel Leon's frustration.

"I understand your anger. I agree with your resentment, but this is not the way. Hukm would not be pleased with your actions." Leon was unresponsive, "What will you do when you are brought to the gates of O'lim and he asks you about the blood on your hands today?" A painful grunt escaped Brock's body. He peeked over his shoulder to observe the broken man's figure. He was surprised to see four new blades lodged within his chest. He had his eyes on Leon the whole time, 'When did he throw those?'

His head snapped back to Leon's position, only to find floating dust. In his peripheral, he saw a light green figure beneath him. As his head tilted down, Leon's head lifted up. Bo saw his mouth first, a terrifying, open-mouthed smile that was enhanced by the broken sucker chunks on his tongue. His head lifted high enough for Bo to see his eyes. The usual term was green with envy, but Leon's eyes were a spiraling forest of madness. With an insane smirk, he whispered a phrase to Bo. "I'll smile."

Bo acted fast, his hands reaching out to clamp onto Leon's body. The boy easily ducked the grapple, retaliating with a sweeping kick aimed at Bo's ankles. Bo reacted by jumping in the air. In a spur-of-the-moment decision, he spread his body out wide; preparing to drop on the boy with a heavy cross-body splash.

Any normal person would have blocked the coming attack. But Leon wasn't normal, from his seated position he shifted so his hands were holding him upside down. From this acrobatic position (without much torque to propel his movements) he unleashed a monstrous heel kick to his airborne opponent.

Bo's body slid to the side; crashing into the nearest wall. The shelf buckled under his impact, a few golden lamps dropping on his head and dazing him. Leon popped up to his feet, his eyes screaming death as he looked at Brock. Bo rose from the pile of trinkets. "Don't!"

Brock began to plead for his life, "Please, I'm sorry." Leon was unresponsive, "Please, I'll do anything."

Leon cocked his head, "Anything?" Brock nodded the best he could. Leon's arms crossed his chest with four razors in each hand. His toothy grin laced with a hint of red from his suckers. It was as if he was gaining genuine enjoyment in seeing Brock grovel. "Then Perish."

A straight green fist connected with Leon's jaw. The lights in his eyes dying quickly. His body slowly falling to the floor. Brock's eyes wandered in the direction of the fist. Rosa stood with a worried look on her face. She looked down at Leon's unconscious body, wincing softly. "Bloody hell, that boy is dangerous."

A few of the bystanders got up from their hiding places. Some ran to inspect the scene while the others ran out of the emporium. Bo arose from his pile of lamps. "Thank you, Rosa." They both inspected the boy, his soft breaths could be heard over the commotion.

From the main counter, a strange purple being yelled some gibberish their way. Bo begrudgingly approached the store owner, leaving Rosa alone with a broken Brock and an unconscious Leon. She fixed his hood on his head and removed the chipped lollipop from his mouth. "I hope you understand, love." She patted the hair under his hood as Bo returned.

"We will not be allowed to stay here any longer." Rosa assumed as much. She didn't expect to stay much longer either way.

Brock's adrenaline subsided, the ungodly pain setting in. He looked up to his savior, "th-ank… you."

Rosa crouched down to his level, "Don't thank me. I only saved you cause we need you alive." She ripped a few blades from Brock's chest, lifting him by his collar. "Now get up, your job's not done yet."

She threw his body back against the table, the man groaning as his blood started to pool on the floor. His mind was going blank, but Bull held his eyes open with his thumb. "You may not rest yet. Not until you tell us…" he pushed him against the wall. Bo's face was stoic, his chest puffed up to increase his size. "Where is Bull?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GAH! Why am I like this?! I'm so sorry! I said, "A new chapter every Friday" and look at me now. This chapter isn't dropping until 4:00AM EST Sunday morning! AGGGGHHHH! Okay... let me calm down. I'm sorry if I kept people waiting. I got sidetracked with Thanksgiving celebrations and some school stuff (Finals). Look I don't have much to say so I hope this chapter was acceptable. (AGH! This Chapter is only like 3,300 Words! That's so short!) I should be done with Finals next week so hopefully, I can do better about uploads.
> 
> Okay, time to sleep. Next Chapter title... *Checks notes* I HAVEN'T THOUGHT UP A TITLE!?
> 
> Huh... thanks again for reading another one of...
> 
> Sammy's Sloppy Scripts


	8. Everybody's Got a Plan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song name: Panda  
> Artist: Desiigner

An electric beat was filling the diner. The sound of crashing symbols and digital tones repeating over a dynamic drumline. The patrons were bouncing in a giant mob; their attention focused on the makeshift stage. An African male was standing by a flashing soundboard as he subtly enhanced the beat. Another dark-skinned man stood upfront with a mic in hand.

He hyped up the crowd as a light fog rolled across the floor. Black and white flashing lights were the only forms of illumination. In a deep voice that sounded miles away from the stage, he started rapping.

" _This what they all been waiting for_

_I guess so_

_They been waiting for this shit for a long time didn't they_ "

Behind him, the other male rolled his tongue into another mic. He pressed a few extra buttons on his keypad causing more fog to flow onto the stage.

" _I guess so_

 _They been waiting for this shit for a long time didn't they_ "

Another short burst of words from his hype man triggered a music change. The beat disappearing as a low melodic hum flowed from the speakers. The hype man flipped a switch, a bright light shining up into the ceiling.

A small figure rose from the fog. Two tiny animal ears poking from each side of its head. The rapper moved to the side, gesturing toward the rising body. In a soft voice, he started chanting…

" _Panda… Panda._ "

Two lights flashed behind the body, casting a black silhouette over the crowd. Another violent tongue rolling seemed to trigger a flashing of five lights from above. The beams of black and white illuminating the girl that had taken center stage. The rapper matched the speed of the lights, calling…

"Panda! Panda! Panda! Panda! Panda!"

All the lights blasted on as Nita jumped up to the front of the stage. The tiny girl dancing along with the modern music she had never heard before. She didn't understand what her body was doing, it just felt right with the sounds flooding her eardrums. As she went wild with the music, the rapper went full throttle with his lyrics. The music picking up once again.

" _I got broads in Atlanta_

_Twisting dope, lean, and the Fanta_

_Credit cards and scammers_

_Hitting off licks in the bando_

_Black X6, Phantom_

_White X6 looks like a panda_ "

Nita jumped extra high when she heard her animal's name.

" _Going out like I'm Montana_

_Hundred killers, hundred hammers_

_Black X6, Phantom_

_White X6, panda_ "

Nita was getting extremely hyped. She ran up to the rapper from behind, lifting him over her head. The rapper was surprised but happily continued his song.

" _Pockets swole, Danny_

_Selling bar, candy_

_Man I'm the mocho like Randy_

_The choppa go Oscar for Grammy_

_Bitch nigga pull up ya panty_

_Hope you killas understand me_ "

The song continued, the crowd jumping with the ecstatic beat. Nita hadn't heard such an exciting sound in her life. This music was like nothing she perceived at home. This crowd of people moving wildly and with erratic motions. It made her go wild.

She looked at the grasping hands of the crowd. They seemed so inviting, her body moved on its own. Without thinking, her feet launched her into the sky. She spread her arms out, believing in the people below. She could feel their hands grasping at her arms and legs. The hands at the center supporting her back as she shifted through the masses.

When they eventually placed her on the stage, the song was slowing down. From the way the people were calming down as well, she figured the song was about to end. The rapper turned to her again, saying panda twice much like he did at the beginning of his song. Nita knew what would happen next. She got ready to strike a few poses. With each chanting of the word panda, she hopped into a new position.

She ended her poses with both hands held outward. They looked like paws as she balanced on a single foot. Giving her the image of a puppy dog or baby bear.

The crowd cheered as Nita waved toward them as thanks. The rapper patted her shoulder before speaking on the mic, "Can we give a big thanks to the cutest killer in Retropolis, Nita!" The crowd chanted her name, she hadn't heard such affection from so many strange people. "Alright kiddo, go have some fun."

The rapper would have helped her off stage, but after that ridiculous stage dive, he figured she could handle herself. When Nita had both feet on the ground she instantly rushed toward the main bar. Sitting on the stools were Crow and Bibi. The adults smiling as their (unofficially) adopted child's bright eyes rushed their way.

"Mama! Did ya see?"

Bibi turned to face her, gripping the girl's tiny hands. "I did."

"I jumped into the crowd and they carried me all over the place."

"I know."

"Was it cool?"

Crow answered faster, "The coolest."

As the girl continued to gush about how much fun she was having, Bull burst through the kitchen door with an urgent look on his face. His demeanor changed when he saw Nita gushing about the party. "Hey kiddo, you having fun?"

"This is awesome! This is the best party ever, Uncle Bull."

Bull ruffled her Panda head, "Perfect."

She eventually ran back into the party, the two adults returning to their drinks as Bull grabbed himself a mug and took a seat beside them. Bibi nudged her little cousin, "My little Buru is turning into a big softy."

"What you talkin' bout?"

Her arms stretched out, motioning to the room. "This party. All these people. The rapper. How'd you even get all this in a day?"

"I can do anything I want, whenever I want." He took a long swig of his beer, "Besides, it's for the kid."

Bibi pinched his cheeks, "Somebody loves his new niece." She said in a cutesy voice.

"I'll dock your pay," he playfully threatened.

Bibi laughed wildly, wrapping her arm around Bull as she drank merrily. She slammed her mug on the table, her eyes slightly glazed over. With a shaky breath, she spoke from her heart, "Umm… thanks." Bull and Crow both raised a brow, "Don't look at me like that. It's just, thanks for agreeing to keep her."

Her finger circled a few water droplets. Bull spoke up, "Don't mention it. Besides… she's good for business."

"Oh no, you can't do that. You love her. Admit it." Bibi poked and prodded at Bull's face.

Bull grumbled something under his breath as a staff member burst through the kitchen door. "Mr. Bull!" He pushed Bibi off him, "We still need those orders finished."

"Oh right. Bibi! Get to work."

She groaned her disagreement, "But it's my baby's special party."

"Don't care, get to work."

She swayed her drink in the air, "But I've been drinking."

"Don't care if you're drunk or tipsy, get busy." He took Bibi by her arm, dragging her inside the kitchen. Crow chuckled softly, taking another sip of his water as he searched the crowd for his daughter.

Inside the sea of people, Nita pushed and shoved with the dense mosh pit. The heat radiating off their bodies making her sweat as she kept pace. A few girls passed her some colorful bead-necklaces. They shined like diamonds in her eyes, she couldn't help but spin wildly around the room. Her body colliding with someone's small frame.

"Oops, sorry, did I hurt you?" Her vision was blurred from all the spinning, a green blob standing in front of her.

A familiar voice responded, "I'll survive."

She paused at the sound, her eyes slowing adjusting to the room. The first thing she could see was a lime green hoodie. Their short stature catching her eye as she noticed his sly smirk. The white stick between his lips was the last piece of the puzzle. "Leon!"

She jumped into her brother's arm, the boy holding her close amongst the swarm of bodies. Nita took in his scent, a sweet smell she hadn't experienced in days. Leon affectionately rubbed her back as the party continued around them. A few of the partiers snickering as they watched the two embrace.

Nita pulled away from her brother, "What took you so long?"

Leon scratched the back of his head, "I had to wait for the right time."

"Well, this is the best time! Isn't this awesome?!" She spun around once again, some of the people hollering their agreement.

"It's… different." Leon wasn't a stranger to civilization. He had seen his fair share of city parties over the years. The city was a key inspiration for his chameleon hoodie. But this diner was not his kind of party.

Leon focused on Nita, his little sister dancing with one of the older girls on the floor. She seemed to be enjoying herself. He wished he could have as much fun.

Nita ran up to him, "Look at this cool necklace." She pushed her bead-necklaces in his face. Leon finally inspected his sister's clothing. She had ditched her usual teal green dress for a bloody red gown. Her maroon bear pelt was replaced with a strange black and white bear he'd never seen before. Then he noticed her wrist accessories.

"Are those… handcuffs?"

"Yeah, cool right? Uncle Bull put them on me when I first got here, then I broke them." She struck a pose, "I look pretty badass right?"

Leon's stumbled over his words, "How do you know that word? Wait… did you say, Uncle?!"

"Mama Bibi taught me it." Her eyes lit up as she snatched up Leon's arms, glossing over his follow-up question. "You have to meet her. She's the coolest." She tried to pull Leon forward, but his body wouldn't budge. She used a bit more force, causing Leon's body to shift forward. He slammed a foot down to brace himself, his wide base making his body unmovable.

At least, it would be unmovable for most people. To Nita, he was like a stubborn child. She pulled harder, Leon's core falling towards her. He slipped his hands out of her grip. His fingers clamping down on her wrists as he pulled her his way.

Nita was much harder to move. When it came to unnatural powers, Nita was gifted with all the strength. She easily stood against her brother's attempts to move her. Leon knew force was useless, he would have to use his words. "Nita, we're leaving."

"What?" The girl was honestly confused by the statement.

"It's time to go home."

"But you just got here."

"I know. And now we're leaving." Leon tried to pull her again, her body was solid as a rock.

"But I'm having fun." She pulled her brother forward. The boy looking down at her. She could see a bit of his left eye under his hoodie. He seemed frustrated, "Why are you ruining my fun?"

"Nita," Leon got close to her ear. A shouting whisper leaving his throat, "You're being held hostage."

She stamped her feet on the ground, "I don't know what that word means but I don't like it."

"Oh my Xudo. What part of 'You were kidnapped' don't you understand?"

"I haven't taken a nap today."

Leon raked his palms across his eyes. "I'm not doing this right now." He picked Nita up by her armpits. The tiny child kicking and screaming against his grip, "We're going home."

"Hey!" Leon stopped for a moment, his head turning to meet the voice. He saw a man with a colorful hat glaring at him. "What you doing with our Panda?"

"Panda?"

The man cracked his knuckles, "That's right, our little panda bear." Two more men heard him call out Leon. They stood by his side as they slowly encircled Leon. The first man spoke again, "Hey Panda, this asshole hurting you."

Nita smiled up at them, "Nothing hurts me."

The music started to pick up. Anyone not within the direct vicinity of the action continued to party like the night would never end. Leon stood in the middle of the three men, his hands still holding Nita up.

One of the newcomers spoke up, his voice scratchy and shrill. "Let's see how much pain this punk can take?"

The three men slowly moved towards him. Leon lazily looked to his little sister. His face was lifeless while she was pleading. Normally he would think about Bo's teachings. Not to harm those weaker than yourself, but tonight he felt disobedient.

The rapper's voice filled Leon's ears, "Alright, who's ready to get wild." The crowd went wild. "Who's ready to get crazy?" They went ballistic. The music fell silent, "Who's ready to break something?" The lights turned off, plunging the room into darkness.

The crowd screeched from the lack of vision. The sound of their cheering deafening all other noises in the room. When the light flashed back on, Leon was still holding onto his sister. The three men were standing still around him.

Then as the beat dropped, so did their bodies. As they fell to the floor a pool of blood leaked from beneath them. A woman's blood-curdling screech was the wake-up call for everyone else. The music wound down as all eyes turned to Leon.

The boy had a few small droplets of blood staining the edges of his jacket sleeves. Though he stood still in the middle of the carnage, holding onto his frustrated sister. "We're going home."

Nita kicked and squirmed under her brother's grip. She hated it when he used his height like this. There was nothing she could do to get out of his hold without hurting him. She whined and screeched even more until three daggers fell at Leon's feet.

He turned to where they flew from, the crowd parting as a new body walked forward. A shorter man creeped out of the shadows. Leon squinted his eyes, trying to comprehend what he was seeing.

An unholy creature, with the body of a man and the face of a Crow. He raised his feathered fingers in the air. A deep voice seeming to smooth over Leon's enraged state. "I don't want to kill in front of the kid." He flicked his wrists, three daggers appearing in each hand. "But that was your only warning. Put her down… or I put you down." Leon took a deep breath, slowly placing his sister's feet on the floor. Crow watched as the boy's hands entered his pockets. "Glad to see I don't have to work tonight. Now leave."

Leon stood still.

"I said leave."

Crow took a step forward, the sound of his foot touching the floor seeming to echo throughout the room. Leon's body snapped violently in place. His hand flying from his pocket and sending four blades in Crow's direction. Without batting an eye, he leaned to the side, allowing Leon's attack to lodge itself into a group of bystanders.

Crow looked back, noticing the blades had barely pierced the unfortunate person's flesh. He turned back to the boy, watching as he pulled out four more blades that he fanned in Crow's direction. He easily ducked this volley as well, the bystanders ducking low to avoid getting hurt.

Leon bit his cheek, sending volley after volley at the unholy bird. He easily dodged the attacks, swaying side to side like he was still listening to the background music. The daggers in his hands were used defensively to deflect any odd blades that almost snagged him. Leon was feeling agitated, this bird-person was barely trying. The bird looked at him coldly, his dead eyes unblinking as he raised his hand.

His fingers made a 'Bring It' motion, enraging Leon even more. Just as he prepared to rush forward a hand fell on his shoulder. The green glove pulling him back as they walked forward. Several men cooed at the sight of her. An extra tall, dark-skinned queen with her natural hair standing high above her head. She lightly shook her head, a few leaves falling to the ground beneath her.

On her back, a pink plant made an aggressive face in Crow's direction. The bird was unfazed by the oddity, his focus directed at the cut physique of the woman that had taken center stage. She cracked her knuckles, her British accent smooth like butter on a hot pan. "Leon, get her out of here."

"I can't just leave you here."

She turned back to him with a smile, "I'll be right behind ya love."

Leon stared daggers at Crow. When he turned to Nita, she was rushing off into the crowd. "Get back here!" The two youths disappeared in the masses.

Crow threw his hands in his jacket pockets, "Ma'am."

"Sir."

The air was getting thick; dangerous energy flowing between the two. Crow took the lead, "Listen, lady, today was supposed to be a good day. We were supposed to have a party and just relax. Not many things make me smile, don't ruin this for me."

She smiled back at him, "Wouldn't dream of ruining your day."

"Then you'll leave quietly?"

"Of course, we just need to take our girl back home."

Crow groaned through his beak, "That's a problem. You see, I'm not giving up my daughter."

She cocked her head to the side, "Pardon me?"

Crow cracked a stiff joint in his neck, "I don't feel like working tonight so I'll make this easy. Leave… now. Leave my little girl, leave the diner, and I'll let you leave with your lives."

She smiled fondly at him. Her hand patted the sentient plant on her back, the creature's limbs extending to wrap around her arms and legs. The thorns that the creature was sporting didn't faze the large woman as they naturally sunk into her skin. She brought her fists up to her face, standing like a boxer preparing for a match. "Ya'know, I always preferred plants over animals."

Crow smiled at the one-liner. He dashed forward at a blinding speed, the woman's eyes following his movements. His body seemed to disappear in a flash, appearing suddenly behind her. In the short talk they had, he knew who she was, another member of Nita's home village. He couldn't bear to imagine what his panda bear would think if he killed one of them. A swift chop to the vagus nerve would end this scuffle before it could start.

As his hand met her flesh, he was surprised to feel her jawline colliding with his fingers. The world seemed to slow down for them, his body shifting in mid-air as he saw her face. She was smiling at him like she meant for him to miss his mark. With surprising speed, she landed two stiff uppercuts to his stomach. The power of the blows keeping him airborne momentarily. Then with a little extra force, she rocked his chest with a soul-shattering straight right.

Though he was a bird he wasn't prepared to fly away just yet. But his body was launched into the bystanders. Forming a giant pile of humanity with him sitting on top. The woman clapped her gloved hands together, "Well I might have ruined your day, but now you can have a good night's sleep."

She turned away from her handy work, looking around the diner for any sign of Leon and Nita. Her search was halted by a sharp pain running through the small of her back. Three spots that ignited like a flame slinking through her core. She reached back, her fingers wrapping around a small blade. Her plant helped to remove the other two weapons, a little blood escaping from the newly opened wounds. Her plant quickly patched up the marks with its stems.

She followed the eyes of the crowd, the bird-man standing atop the mass of bodies. There was a little blood on the edge of his beak, "Not bad. Think you chipped a rib." She noticed something off about him. When she first approached him, his eyes seemed colorless. Like any light he had within was expelled years ago. Now he was smiling, his eyes vibrating as he looked at her. "What's your name?"

Rosa stood tall, cracking her back as she cleared her throat. "Rosa's my name, botany's my game."

Crow's smile grew wider, "Cute. Name's Crow, Carrion Crow."

"How unoriginal."

A strange sound followed her insult. A guttural noise that chilled her bones. Crow was laughing as if he had never done it before in his life. A noise that sounded forced from a human, but natural for a beast. Crow's eyes focused on her, "Keep that same energy and commit that name to memory. When you die, tell 'em who killed you." Six more daggers launched in her direction, her arms blocking them from landing into her chest. Crow laughed manically, "The Devil's keeping track."

Crow launched into the air. His mind clouded as he forgot to hold back. He assaulted Rosa with a mixture of close-up melees and distanced dagger throws. Rosa's hands flew like the wind as she tried to keep up with his speed, but he was moving like lightning.

A particular interaction that got the crowd jumping was a failed attack from Crow. He had run close once again, his daggers just missing their marks as he cut and scraped her skin. Several punches from Rosa just barely missed their target. If she aimed for his chest, he twisted so she grazed his ribs. If she aimed for his head, he ducked so she would blow a breeze over his skull.

A particular punch went in Crow's favor, the woman's right jab came so slowly he decided to jump instead of ducking. When he was airborne, she threw a jab with her left hand, but his mobility was incomprehensible. His hands seeming to ride her arm's momentum to flip himself in mid-air.

His legs landed on each of her shoulders. He was practically sitting on her face with two daggers in prime position to skewer her head. But with quick thinking and plenty of inspiration from her favorite weekly episodic television broadcast, she power-bombed him into the wooden floor. The back-breaking thud turning the bystanders' stomach upside down.

His beak was wide open with his tongue sticking out, gasping for air. His body had recoiled upward from the monstrous force of the blow. Rosa prepared to deal the finishing blow, an overhead slam that would drive him through the foundation. His body contorted grotesquely, twisting again to give his arms the torque needed to skewer Rosa's stomach. The three blades that lodged into her abs felt like needles puncturing her guts.

In another clash, he tried to land a kick to her head, but she punched the leg mid-attack. As he spun from the counterattack she spun in the opposite direction, using her momentum to rock his body with a deadly lariat. Though once again Crow was able to put a limb in the way, using his legs to leap off her arm.

He soared into the rafters and dove like an eagle. Both arms crossed as he fell like a meteor aimed at Rosa's head. Just before he made contact, she caught his hands forcing him to land in front of her. He tried to leap off her stomach but her grip on his arms was crushing. He looked up, finally noticing how much larger she was than him. Her muscular arms, her broad shoulders. He might be an assassin, but she was a fighter.

Her head leaned back, then crashed down into his skull. The sickening sound made several bystanders cringe while Crow stumbled backward. His legs felt like spaghetti and his body went numb.

Rosa saw her opportunity, she lunged forward. Her fist reaching far behind her body to deliver the kill-shot. As she swung for his head, her body went limp. She fell forward, her limbs growing unresponsive. She was still able to move her body, but she could barely support her weight. Her eyes eventually fell on Crow a sickening smile across his beak as her world grew dim.

She caught herself just before she crashed to the ground. Resting on all four as her body's strength seemed to waste away. "You never noticed." His voice was cold and heartless. "You couldn't even feel it, the truth." He cracked his feathered knuckles as he slowly turned to her, "This fight was over before it began."

Rosa tried to stand up, her body straining just to move. "How… It can't be… you had…?"

"Poison." He dropped one of his daggers by her face, she could see a light green liquid on the tip. "But not any poison. A few days ago I figured I could make my jobs easier if I didn't have to worry about wannabe heroes fighting back." He crouched down low, pulling Rosa's head up by her hair. "So, I went to the lab and developed my very own neuro-toxin." He put her arm around his neck, standing her up slowly. "Your body's nervous system has been put to sleep. Your mind is unable to send the electric signals necessary to produce movements. Even when you could move, your attacks were greatly reduced in strength. The only reason you kept going was from your adrenaline rush."

He released his grip on Rosa, the woman managing to hold herself up without assistance. Crow walked ahead of her, the bird inspecting his newly made weapons of mass destruction. "Honestly, I'm ashamed. I needed chemical weaponry to defeat a botanist." He flipped the blades mindlessly, "Or maybe you should be proud, you took a trained killer to his limit. For a botanist, you're a great fighter."

"Well… you're half right."

Crow slowly turned to her; he didn't expect her to still be talking. Though he should have been preparing for something far worse. His vision was filled with green and white. A gloved fist colliding with his beak head-on. His vision turned blurry and his mind went blank as he swayed back and forth from the attack.

He thought his eyes were playing tricks on him, he thought he saw the vines on Rosa's plant grow wider. They seemed to wrap her body in a protective shell of flora and foliage. The cherry on top was the strange image of the plant opening its mouth. The creature seeming to swallow Rosa's head, now looking like a pink helmet.

Rosa's face sprung back to life, her eyes locking onto Crow's dazed form. "I'm not just any botanist." She threw her fists up, "I'm the boxing botanist."

She unleashed a machine gun combo of punches. The attacks were like a continuous stream of pink and green. Even after ten seconds of punching, she didn't let up. It was clear that she was no longer fighting out of necessity, she was fighting with her emotions. Another volley of punches and the bystanders started to beg for her to stop. She only finished the onslaught because her arms were getting tired.

As she held Crow up, she couldn't help but wince. His left eye was swollen shut and his cheek had a giant bump on it. She touched his chest, the bird wincing from her contact. She swore she could see the imprint of her knuckles against his heart. "Word of advice love." She allowed him to stand up, "Everyone's got a plan…" She rocked his jaw with a left hook, "until they get punched in the face." Crow's body laid lifeless on the floor. "Thank you, Mike Tyson."

The crowd was silent for a moment. Everyone trying to process the spectacle they just witnessed. A single sound broke the silence, "BOO!"

More people joined in the heckling. The deafening sound of discourse was driving her mad. She covered her ears as the crowd verbally attacked her.

Thankfully she wasn't here to entertain them, she had a job to do. Her head scanned the crowd, searching for any sign of Nita's strange new color pallet or Leon's classic green hoodie.

A sharp whistle pierced the crowd's boos. Rosa turned to face the noise. Her mind going blank as an object collided with the side of her head. She fell to the ground like a cinderblock, her vision fading out slowly. The last thing she processed was a strange pair of techno-black sneakers and the sound of a jingling key-chain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It has begun. If you have been reading and you're excited for a multi-chapter epic battle against our two main teams then leave a comment telling me who you think is gonna win. Will Leon finally return Nita to her home or will Mama Bibi keep her new child? Drop a Kudo and place a bookmark to stay updated about all future updates both on this story and on my profile. Okay so I think that's all I have to say... oh and I'm working on a little project. Just gotta talk to my co-worker about how it's looking we might have ourselves a 'Conflict of Interests'.
> 
> See ya next week with another one of...  
> Sammy's Silly Scripts


	9. A Conflict of Interests

She calmly stood over Rosa's body. It was just another day on the job. Some broad had busted down the door and busted up a patron. The only right answer was to dispose of the problem as soon as possible. What she didn't expect was that the broad could defeat Crow.

Bibi knelt to Crow's face, "Yo, bird-brain." She tapped his cheek with the back of her hand. His pained moans were the only response he could muster, "Who's the dame?"

Crow's eyes cracked open, "Nnn…"

"Hey, stay with me. Don't have much info here."

Crow shakily brought his hand up, Bibi allowed his head to rest in her lap. "They…" he clutched his stomach.

"Come on, master assassin. Don't give up yet." Her tone wasn't pleading, it wasn't demanding. It sounded like she was making a simple request. Though seeing Crow defeated was unsettling, she didn't have time to panic. "What happened?"

Crow reached up to her face, "They… have… N-"

"Knives? New technology? Nasal allergies?"

"Shut up…" Crow took a shaky breath, "They have… Nita-" Bibi bolted up. Allowing Crow's head to bounce off the ground, provoking another pained groan.

"My baby!" Bibi looked around the circle of people. Her eyes searching for the white and black pelt she gifted her. The sheer girth of the people gave her no vision past the surface. She slammed her bat on the ground, "Everybody out!"

The people started to slowly shift out the main door. Their feet dragging as they complained about missing the show. Bibi grew tired of their complaints. She bashed the ground with her bat, roaring, "I said out!" Her enraged state motivated the customers as they hurried out the front door. As they ran away, Bibi's eyes frantically searched the newly opened room.

Nita was currently squirming in her brother's arms. She could easily overpower him but any tactics she could implement would wind up hurting him. He hadn't done anything to hurt her. In her opinion, he was just a big meany.

"Put me down!" Her legs were kicking the air aggressively.

"Why do you even wanna stay here?"

"I'm having fun."

"You are such a baby."

Nita pouted at his insult, clenching her eyes shut as she screamed at him. "Let me go!"

Leon didn't give her a response.

"I said!"

"Let her go."

Leon froze in place, the woman's voice piercing the noise of the people rushing out of the diner. He looked over his shoulder, the woman standing behind him looked slightly taller than the bird he met just a few moments ago. He placed Nita down slowly, turning to face the woman. "Who are you?"

Bibi brandished her bat, "I'm her mother."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"You heard me," she placed the bat on her shoulder. "Got a problem with that?"

Leon pinched the brim of his nose, "Listen, usually I would have a little talk or something. Maybe try to intimidate you but I'm already sick of this place so let's cut to the chase." He put his hands in his pockets, "I'm taking her home. And there's nothing you can do to stop me."

Bibi laughed at that, "Really. You and what booster seat?"

Leon's patience was exhausted, "Looks can be deceiving." He sent out four blades with a flick of his wrist. Each aimed at her face. Bibi easily brought her bat up, the blades lodging into her metal barrel. She pulled them out quickly then prepared for a rush, only to find Leon had disappeared.

She didn't see him phase behind her, his fist landing a thunderous punch to the back of her head. He winced when he felt his knuckles going numb. Hitting her skull was like punching cinderblock.

She absently scratched her head, nonchalantly turning around with a smug smile. "Not bad," she brought up her bat. "Now it's my turn."

She turned with the torque of a slingshot, her bat cracking the wind around it as she obliterated Leon with a home run swing. The force of the impact lifted Leon off his feet, the boy flying into a nearby booth and smashing through the table.

The polished wood splintered into dangerous jagged boards that sliced Leon's skin and hoodie. He didn't make a noise as he fell unconscious in the rubble.

Without missing a beat Bibi turned to Nita. Desperately asking, "Nita, sweetheart, are you okay? Did he hurt you?" She inspected every aspect of the child just as the mother she believed she was.

"Leon?" Nita's head tried to turn to the rubble her brother was buried under. She couldn't comprehend what she just saw. Her brother had been utterly destroyed by the raw power of Bibi's attack.

"Don't worry baby, that boy won't bother you ever again." She took Nita's hand, "Let's get you inside."

Nita pulled back, "But that's my brother."

Bibi winced at the information. She looked back at her handy work; the boy's hand was the only part of him not buried under the wood. She sheepishly turned to Nita, "Are you sure that's your brother?" Nita responded with a tiny nod, "Don't worry. I didn't give it everything I had. And if he's half as tough as you, he'll be fine."

She was lying. She didn't know who the boy was, she didn't care. All she could comprehend was her little girl's frustrated screams. Her body moved on its own, her swing was aiming to slice the boy in half.

Nita reached out to the rubble, "Leon?"

"Hey, sweetheart." She grabbed her attention, "You know I love you right?"

"Uh-huh."

"And you know I would never do something without your best interest in mind."

"I guess."

"Then do you believe me when I say that I didn't know he was your brother." Bibi's heart stopped beating, she needed a response.

Nita nervously looked back at the rubble. "I believe you."

Bibi let out a sigh of relief. "Good. Now since you trust me, I need you to go inside."

"But-"

"No buts. It's not-" her voice was cut off abruptly as three miniature explosions cracked against her back. The last word Nita heard her say was a groaning, "Safe." Then her body was engulfed in smoke.

Nita stretched a shaky hand outward, "Mama?"

"Little one," Nita turned her head at the familiar voice. Bo was briskly jogging toward her, "Don't worry. I'm here now."

Nita's eyes were glossy, "Y-You?"

Bo noticed the tenor of her voice, "That's right, I'm here. There's no need to cry." Nita tried to say something, but Bo cut her off, "Where is your brother. He rushed in before I could enter." She shakily pointed at the rubble, Bo understood completely. He began to pull the chipped wood away, his hands searching the pile for a sign of Leon. "Nita, quickly. We must dig him out."

Nita was unresponsive. She had her eyes locked on the cloud of smoke, the last place she saw Bibi. "Mama?" She walked over to the billows, "Mama?" Her voice was soft and hoarse. Like every nerve in her body was trying to help her speak. She dropped down to her knees, her hands dipping inside the smoke. "Ma-ma?" She felt around for her corpse. No one survived Bo's arrows, she knew it was over. The last thing she wanted was to say goodbye. The tears now slowly rolling down her face.

But her hands never found a body, the only feeling running through her fingertips was the cold wood floor. "Mama?" Nita waved the cloud away. Her suspicions were correct, Bibi was not on the ground. She was nowhere in sight. Her head scanned the room while her mind formed a few questions. 'Did she survive? How did she survive? Where did she go?'

She looked back at Bo, maybe he missed her? Or maybe his arrows were weaker than usual? Her answer came in the form of a charred purple jacket. The cloth singed as its wearer's body seemed to move in slow-motion. Her metal bat locked and loaded as she stood over Bo. Nita's heart stopped, in a split-second decision she screamed, "Wait!"

The sound of her voice snatched Bo's attention. He turned to see Bibi standing over him, a deadly glare in her eyes. His hands just got up to his face in time, her bat crackling like lightning against his limbs. He felt his body fly backward, unable to stop his momentum.

As Bo flew away, Bibi turned to Nita. "Get inside!"

Nita didn't listen to her command. She ran ahead of Bibi, blocking her path. "Don't hurt them."

"What?" Bibi dropped to her level, "He tried to kill me."

"I know… but he doesn't know you like I do." Bibi stared into Nita's eyes. Those white husks that showed so much emotion. She could see a little water forming in the corners.

Bibi looked back in Bo's direction. Her eyes widening as she scooped Nita up in her arms. The two girls rolled into a nearby table, propping it up for cover. Nita watched as several explosions rocked the area they were previously standing at. Then another volley crashed against their table. Bo's deep voice called to them, "Coward!"

Bibi called back, "Who you calling a coward?"

"To think, first you kidnap a child, then you hold her for ransom, and now you use her as cover." Bo prepared another volley, "Have you no shame?"

"Cover?" Bibi asked Nita to move further behind the table, "You shot at us."

"I shot at you." Another arrow collided on the ground beside them, "Then you took her with you behind that wall. Do you still plan to use her as leverage?"

Bibi scoffed at the accusation, "Nita." The young girl stared up at Bibi, "No matter what you hear, stay behind this table." Bibi stepped into the open. Bo knocked three of his explosive arrows. Bibi took off her purple jacket, her pink undershirt squeezing close to her frame. She tied the garb around her waist, a tiny pink bubble blowing from her mouth. "Let me make myself clear." The bubble grew to the size of her body. Bo watched as the giant pink ball bounced on the floor a few times. He noticed Bibi readying another swing, "I don't need a hostage."

Bibi swung with all her might, launching the ball in Bo's direction. He scoffed at the ridiculous attack. In his eyes, it was just a ball of spit. He slowly brought an arm up to block the attack. He wouldn't be moved by a bubble.

The ball collided with him, the warm squishy substance conforming to his palm. He watched as the ball didn't stop at his hand, it seemed to encompass him; wrapping around his arm and working its way to his shoulder. It started as a warm feeling similar to room temperature water. That warm feeling quickly shifted into a writing pain that rocked his body. His instincts told him to recoil away from the ball but it was too late.

His entire body was engulfed in the gum. He could feel pulses of electricity coursing through his veins. Like all the pain he ever felt in his life was flowing through him once again. Then just as soon as the pain came, it went away. The ball of gum flying past his body and deeper inside the diner.

Bo fell to a knee; he hadn't felt such torture in his life. He couldn't begin to describe this feeling verbally, but he would have to search for the words later. For now, he gripped his bow refocusing on Bibi.

While he was writhing in pain, she made an advance. The woman was now just a few feet away from him. He fired three shots her way, each arrow aimed at her chest. She brought her bat upward allowing the arrows to collide with her bat.

Bo reached back for more ammunition, but he was too slow. She had gotten directly on top of him. Releasing another monstrous swing aimed at his head. He narrowly dodged the attack, choosing to switch to melee combat.

His grip on his bow made for an excellent punching fist, a stiff jab at her cheek hitting its mark. He realized his mistake when she turned her cheek into his punch. Her enraged grimace looking past his attack.

She tried to land an elbow, but he was able to weave away. He only gained distance from her for a second. She pushed the aggressive, landing a clean punch into his heart.

The two continued to trade blows. Each partaking in the damage the other was dishing out. Bibi however had the upper hand; Bo was not made for close range encounters, but Bibi strived on hand-to-hand combat. She absorbed his blows with ease, sending back double the force without trying.

Bo landed a solid punch to the gut, then watched in horror as she gripped his forearm; driving the punch deeper into her core. "All those muscles and the kid hits harder than you." She grinned up at him, landing a clubbing blow to his skull.

While Bo tried to recover from the attack Bibi prepared another strike. When he finally recovered, Bibi slammed him with a major league swing to the liver. A giant glob of saliva flying from Bo's mouth as his eyes went blank. She let him lay on the ground, the chieftain gasping for air as she dug her foot into his shoulder blades. "Buru told me about you. Bo, Powerful Chieftain of Ardacian Village." Her bat rose high above her head, aimed at his skull. "You don't look tough from up here."

Just as she was about to deal the finishing blow, her legs gave out from under her. A warm feeling running down her calves. She shifted back, checking her legs and inspecting the blood escaping her body. She looked to the source, her hands ripping out a few small razor blades from each leg.

"Hey… Hubba Bubba" a shaky voice called from behind her. She turned to see the boy she blasted away standing again. His green hoodie riddled with cuts and tears from climbing out of the rubble. He took his lollipop out his mouth to spit out a wad of blood, "You hit like a bitch."

Bibi's rage was palpable. The pain in her legs was an after-thought. Now she wanted to put this kid down. She rushed forward like a muscle car, the air popping with her speed. Leon easily jumped backward to gain some distance. As she drew closer, he used his razor blades to deter her offensive.

He soon noticed that she was not going to give up. He planted his feet and placed his hands in his pockets. Bibi swung for his head, the boy easily leaning back to duck it. She quickly shifted for an overhead smashing attack but the boy just walked away; allowing the bat to crack the floor under it.

He lazily continued to bob and weave with her attacks. Her rage was getting the better of her, she attempted another wild power swing but once again missed wildly. Leon's hands left his pockets, blades appearing between his fingers. When she saw him launch them forward, she quickly threw her arm up in the way. The gushing blood was suspended in the air as the pain started to register.

When she got hit from a distance, she could barely feel his attacks. Now it felt like she was shot by an assault rifle. Leon watched as her teeth ground together, fighting the pain so she could continue attacking. Her attacks grew more sporadic, the desperation clear in her strikes.

He returned to dodging, his hands behind his head as he casually avoided her attacks. She took notice, increasing in speed and power in hopes to decapitate the kid. He smoothly jumped away from her, his soft landing like that of a feather on the grass. Bibi growled, "Running away?" Leon placed his hands in his pockets again. Bibi's blood was boiling, "Fine, I'll just keep swinging till you slip-up. Then…" she got her weapon ready, holding it to her side. "Your ass is grass."

Just as she dashed forward, another set of explosions rocked her back. This time she was able to stand strong, her adrenaline rush was like temporary steroids enhancing her endurance. Her eyes were strained as she looked into the darkness, the image of Bo could be seen slowly rising from the floor. "Did you forget about me?"

"Oh, don't worry, I'll deal with you later."

Leon launched a set of blades into her upper back, "No, you'll deal with us… now."

Bibi pulled the blades out quickly, a small bit of flesh hanging from each wound. She stood with her eyes bouncing between the two targets, her breath was raspy. Her arms were feeling heavy. She tried to form a plan, one option would be to run after the boy. She was just a little slower than him, but she was sure that they could outspeed the older man. Maybe during their bout, she could gain some distance from him and handle the boy alone.

Another idea would be to rush the larger man. He was not very light on his feet. It would be easy to rush him down, but the boy wouldn't hesitate to attack her from behind. She didn't see an easy way out of this fight. There wasn't a clear way to win. But she refused to give up, she wouldn't dare lose her baby girl.

Leon leaned his body forward, Bo followed suit. Bibi could feel their growing aggression, the final attack was coming. For now, she would need to be defensive. It was the safest option.

Just as Leon made a move toward her an explosive gunshot rang through the diner. All action froze as they stared at the source. A large man stood by the bar, a giant shotgun with three barrels aimed at the ceiling. He rested the gun on his shoulder, "If you're with the government or the church get the hell off my property."

Hearing his voice triggered something in Bo and Leon. "Bull," they snarled.

Bull squinted his eyes, "Do I know you?"

Bibi heard a low growl beside her. The same sound she heard two nights ago when Nita went berserk. Her body turned on its own, desperately looking for her daughter to save her from herself. Instead, she saw the green hooded boy low to the ground. His teeth weren't sharp like Nita's, but his animalistic snarl was chilling. "You."

"Me?" Bull's demeanor was bored.

"You stole from us."

"For the love of… Do you people have any idea how little that narrows it down? You can't even comprehend how many people I steal from within a week. Be more specific."

Leon flashed eight blades under his palms, their metal teeth like the claws he wasn't born with. "You stole her from me!"

Bull's eyes widened, a lazy smile stretching across his lips. "Leo~"

"It's Leon!" he flew like a nuclear missile, his body morphing into a green blur. Bo tried to stop him but he was too late. Every muscle in his body was flexing as it prepared for a fight. He appeared like a mirage in front of Bull, the larger man's eyes rolling down to observe the boy. His smile was like a toxin to Leon's mind. Without thinking, he launched every blade in his hand into Bull's core. He was ready for the splatter of blood to stain his face, but his blades never sank deep enough.

He watched in horror as Bull's giant build seemed to absorb his weapons, practically sucking them in then depositing them on the floor. He could just barely make out a few droplets of blood dripping from the wounds. He shakily looked up at the monster, his smile now unsettling warm. He calmly reached out to the boy, caressing his tiny head in his massive palms. Leon could feel each of his fingers wrapping around his skull, his grip soft and careful. With that haunting smile, he sweetly stated, "I like you."

Leon's body was frozen, his muscles in shock as his mind tried to process what he just witnessed. Then a new feeling took over, the giant knee of Bull driving itself into Leon's stomach. He could feel the lunch he had at Tara's Bazaar trying to come back up.

Bull released his head, the boy bending over as he clutched his caved in guts. He desperately heaved for air, until the crushing feeling of metal smashing against his back crippled him on the floor. Bull calmly stood over the boy as he inspected his gun's barrel. There weren't any dents or damage to be seen, he assumed the boy wasn't as tough as he thought.

He turned to the remaining fighters, "If this is Diddy." He picked the boy up by his hoodie, his body nearly lifeless as he tried to gather his breath. Bull effortlessly threw Leon at Bo's feet. "You must be Donkey."

Bo was silent. He had never felt a presence like this before. A being that possessed so much power, that commanded so much respect with just his stare. The woman he was fighting slowly made her way beside Bull, the larger man looking her over before telling her she'll be fine. He heard him say, "You've had worse." To think these city dwellers had partaken in worse battles. It was unnatural, even by his standards.

Bo finally worked up the strength to speak, "My name is Bo."

Bull refocused on the man, Bibi standing tall at his side. "I know who you are."

Leon slowly rose as Bo continued to talk with Bull. "Then you know why we're here." Everyone remained quiet for a second, Bo broke the silence. "Give us Nita."

Bibi stepped forward, "Never gonna happen. Now get out!"

Bull raised a hand, the girl quietly (though angrily) retracting from the conversation. "Why should I do that?'

Leon shakily responded, "We had… a deal."

"And the deal changed, next argument."

Bo spoke up, "You stole her from us. Kept her here against her will. And now you refuse to let her return home."

Bull couldn't help but laugh at his statements, "First, yes, my men stole Nita from her home village. Second, you're half right, I was keeping her here, but I think we both know she could have broken out any day." Bo and Leon thought about that fact. Bull saw their contemplation, but he didn't stop his expositional onslaught. "Finally, I'm not forcing her to stay."

Leon and Bo cringed at the thought. The boy openly voiced his disdain, "Lies."

"I've told lots of lies in my life. This… is not one of them."

Leon grit his teeth, "Lies. Lies! Lies from a man with no morals."

"Fine if you don't believe me, ask her yourself." Bull cupped his hands around his mouth, "Nita. Nita~. Come on out I know you're watching. Why don't you tell 'em what you told us?" The room was silent. Bibi looked to where she left Nita, there was no sign of the girl. "Tell 'em all about how bored you were at home. How much more fun you've had at the diner."

A shuffling could be heard in the dark. A body slowly stepping out into the open. They all watched as Rosa made her way to the center. She clutched her stomach as a little blood could be seen staining her clothes and hair. Bull was confused, "Who the hell are you?"

Rosa didn't give him a verbal response; she simply spat some blood in his direction. "Don't listen to him." Her words were directed to her allies, "I've seen his type before. Smooth talkers that like to play with your insecurities. They can make you believe anything by attacking what you hate to accept."

Bull chuckled from her rational analysis, "And I've seen your type a hundred times. Overly-optimistic and unwilling to accept the truth."

"Tch. We're not here to talk." Rosa flexed her muscles, the vines wrapped around her body expanding to conform with her physique. "If you won't give her to us. Then we'll take her back."

Bibi clicked her tongue while Bull just smiled at them. Leon was back on his feet, the boy standing beside Bo with Rosa at his side. Bull's eyes casually scanned the diner, then returned to their three opponents. "Before we start, introductions are in order." He pointed his finger at them, "The boy is Leo."

"Leon," he coldly responded.

"Leo," he continued with a smirk. "That means you're Bo. And the muscle girl at your side is…?"

"Like I'd ever tell you my name."

Bull's laughter grew, "Oh trust me, I'll find out. Now allow me to introduce myself. I am Bull, owner of Bull's diner and the underground ruler of Retropolis. This is my cousin, Bibi. She's-"

Rosa cut him off, "A pain in my ass."

Bibi snickered, "How's your head feeling?"

"Oh, you're gonna know how it feels in a second."

Bull stopped their argument, "Ladies please, introductions are not over. Allow me to finish." Bo was confused, there were only two people ahead of him. Leon and Rosa knew what he meant, their heads searching for the final member. "That…" three blades lodged themselves in Bo's back. Rosa quickly removing them before the poison could seep in.

A dark figure leaped over their heads landing beside Bull. He pointed to the human-bird hybrid, "…is Crow. My faithful assassin." Bull inspected Crow's body; some bruises were visible under the collar of his leather jacket and quite the shiner was forming on his left eye. "Hell happened to you?"

"Rosa," the bird lowly responded.

"What?"

"The large woman's name is, Rosa."

Bull looked at her, a few leaves falling from her afro as she helped Bo up. "Fitting." Bo, Leon, and Rosa stood at the ready; their team seemed slightly more damaged from the fights they participated in. Though Bibi and Crow were damaged just as much if not more. However, Bull was fresh as a daisy. "Now that introductions are out of the way, are we ready to play?"

The diner fell silent, all motion coming to a halt. The few kitchen staff members that stayed to watch were frozen with fear. One person tried to retreat bumping into a rack of dishes. The sound of metal pots crashing against the ceramic flooring was the trigger for their bout.

Crow instantly leaped upward, his body disappearing in the rafters. Leon followed him, using the stage equipment as a booster. They were no longer visible. On the ground, Rosa slowly walked to the side, her approach calm and careful. Bibi matched her movements, walking with her bat at the ready.

They clashed with a thunderous amount of force. Rosa's rock-hard fist slamming against the barrel of Bibi's bat. Bo prepared an arrow to assist her, but a few metal pellets assaulted his body. The high-velocity projectiles pierced his skin, but they couldn't do much damage.

He turned to the source, Bull whistling softly as he approached him. "Even from that distance lesser men would have fallen to my Triple-Barrel." He cocked his gun, three steaming shells bouncing to the floor. "This should be fun."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 10 is very short... therefore I will post both chapters today. Grab a cup of tea and enjoy.


	10. A Cup of Tea to Soothe the Pain?

Three small explosions rocked the ground beneath him. It felt like his legs had been attacked by the razor-sharp teeth of a million piranhas. The blood that trickled down his ankles was warm, but his fingers felt so cold. He quickly ducked behind one of the turned-over metal tables. His breaths were quick and lively, his heart pumping a million miles an hour. He hadn't had a rush like this in years, a battle that truly tested his abilities. "Not bad, Bo. Been a while since I got a workout like this."

The archer drew back three more arrows, "Are you implying this battle is only training?"

"That depends, you tryna kill me?" Another volley of arrows collided with the metal circle. "I'll take that as a yes." Bull reloaded his shotgun, firing a few shells in Bo's direction to try and suppress him. Another explosion ripped the wood beside him, the sharp chips colliding with his skin were exhilarating.

He sent another spray of bullets in Bo's direction. Retreating behind his table as Bo sent back another set of arrows. Bull couldn't help but grin wildly, this was so much fun. A few daggers fell at his feet, followed by drops of blood. He looked to the rafters, his eyes trying to adjust to the lack of light.

He could vaguely make out the figures of the two assassins. The boy's green hoodie seemed to slip off one of the boards, his body dangling by a single hand. Crow leaped forward to stomp on his fingers, but the boy somehow flipped himself up again. Kicking Crow in the chest and smashing him against a support beam. Then as soon as he saw them, they vanished once again. 'Damn that looks cool.'

Another explosion landed beside him; he peaked his head noticing Bo slowly approaching. Another burst from his shotgun caused the chieftain to dip behind a set of overturned chairs.

Bull calmly reloaded his gun, his breaths were staggered but his blood was pumping. He hadn't had this much fun in years. Before he could peek his head a body slid towards him. Rosa's dark hair and purple clothes catching his eye.

She quickly slid behind the table, clutching her head as she groaned, "Bloody hell. Gonna have a proper tumor of a headache tonight." Bull could see a few growing bruises across her forearms and midsection. He assumed that her fight with Bibi hadn't been going so well.

She peeked over the edge muttering, "Who the hell are these people. First, I fight a damn demon bird with poison daggers. Now I gotta deal with this crazy bint." She slowly rubbed her neck, "Bout took my head off my shoulders." She blew an exasperated breath, "Haven't even dealt with that dodgy bloke Bull yet. A freak of nature that bastard is."

"Well, that's rude." Rosa flinched from his voice, quickly snapping her head in his direction. The larger man watched her from the corner of his eye as he casually reloaded his gun. "Freak of nature? I'd say I'm more of a force of nature."

The two silently sat there, both just watching the other. Bull could see Rosa's gloved fist balling up, the plant on her back growling at him. Rosa silently observed his free hand, a shell casually sitting between his fingers. Both quietly staring at the other, neither making any sudden moves. Both listening carefully to their surroundings.

On the other side of the table, Bo slowly approached them. The archer was unaware of Rosa's current position. A brash voice screamed from the side, "Get your ass back out here and take this beating like a woman." He saw the woman he had fought when he first arrived in a blind rage. The woman's left eye was swollen and a large bump forming on her right cheek. "You wanna take my baby girl?" She cupped her left breast, "You ain't got the tits to do it."

Bo slowly shook his head, "What a strange woman."

Bibi's ears barely picked up the sound, "You!" She pointed her bat at his skull, "I almost forgot about you."

His arrows naturally pointed at her core, "I did not forget you."

They stood off against one another, waiting for the other to make a move. Bibi knew she could catch him if he tried to run but getting in while under fire wasn't favorable. Bo, however, was worried about Bull. The diner's owner was a threat like none other. Several times he had shot Bull at point-blank range and that monster of a man kept coming. The torn flesh on Bull's body was nothing compared to the injures Bo had sustained. He hadn't trained his body to sustain modern weaponry. The knicks across his flesh were oozing those warm crimson colors.

Behind the table, Rosa and Bull both reacted to the sound of their allies' approaching clash. Their bodies tensing up when they heard Bibi's bat crashing against the floor. They heard her shout, "Round 2!" and the fights sparked anew.

She had grown impatient, standing around wasn't her forte. She was a woman of action and her current course of action was to fight. She ran full tilt towards the archer, his arrows frantically flying to try and stop her push. A few arrows hit their mark but she pushed through the pain. Bo tried his best to retreat but the woman's speed was more than he could handle. The sound of her metal cracking against his arm was truly cringe-worthy.

As Bo's body flew into another set of seats, Rosa and Bull made their moves. The boss brought his shotgun to her chest but the botanist was faster. A stiff jab to the nose effectively turned his vision into fuzz, but his motions were set in stone.

As his shotgun rested a little lower Rosa landed two straight jabs to his jawline. His body leaned back but his arm stayed strong. His finger instinctually flexed, pulling back the trigger with ease. The deafening sound of his gun's modified power echoing through the room.

Rosa clutched her ears, being right beside that explosion of a shell was dangerous even if she wasn't shot. Then she felt it, a biting pain at her mid-section. She instinctually placed her hand on her stomach, trying to physically soothe the pain. Her hand felt oddly warm and moist.

She brought her hand to her face, blood staining her fingernails. She looked down at her stomach, her flesh mangled with several tiny holes around her left kidney. She tried to touch the wound, wincing away from her contact.

Bull shook the cobwebs from her attack. Clutching his golden nose ring and popping a bone back in place. He noticed Rosa clutching her stomach, the blood she was trying to hold back freely flowing through her fingertips. He allowed a smile to grace his face, but he didn't have time to gloat. After taking a punch like that, he knew she wasn't an opponent to play with.

He stood high above her, the woman still grasping her aching abdomen. He put the warm barrel of his gun to her head, Rosa hissing lightly from the heat. He took a second to observe her, this dark-skinned Brit that had battered Crow, battled Bibi and could live to tell the tale. He needed to get rid of her, she was far too powerful. The power she presented seemed like the future of Nita's power.

Then it hit him. Nita, the kid he decided to take under his wing. The only child he allowed to talk to him as if they were family. The girl that called him uncle. To Nita, this woman was her family. He thought to himself, 'What would Nita think if I killed her?'

Images played through his mind, Nita crying about the loss. Nita asking why he did it. Worst of all, Nita hating him for it. He couldn't imagine Nita hating him. This girl he had just met days ago had taken a special place in his heart, and he didn't want to lose his place in hers.

Bull sourly spoke to Rosa, "This is your last chance, leave now or die in my diner."

Rosa tried to talk, a little blood forming across her lips. After a small coughing fit, she smiled up at him. "Sure, just hand over the kid and we'll be out ya hair."

Bull enjoyed her enthusiasm, "Never happening."

"Guess we're never leaving."

"Guess you die."

Just as Bull pulled the trigger, Rosa mustered some extra strength. She pulled Bull's hand past her head, the triple barrel behemoth blasting the flooring beneath her. He quickly switched to his free hand, landing a jaw rocking blow to her chin. But this battling Brit refused to go down.

She threw another hook hoping to knock him out, but the boss wouldn't quit. For every blow that Rosa landed Bull matched her intensity. The two heavyweights trading punches professional boxers would duck from.

Bull got desperate, looking for a crushing overhead smash. Rosa's training shined like a diamond when she easily avoided his wild attack and returned with another blow to Bull's kidneys. The entire fight she was battling on two fronts. Externally she was fighting Bull and his raw power. This monstrous man keeping pace even with his immature fighting style. On the other hand, she was fighting this growing injury inside.

With every punch she landed, she needed to utilize her core for leverage. With her current status, that leverage had been halved. Bull switched back to his gun. Taking potshots at every opportunity. Even at point-blank range, Rosa was able to redirect most of the attacks, but her luck ran out quickly.

Bull's hands were faster than her eyes, his barrel seeming to cut through the air and directly into her chest. Her hands were able to use his momentum to her advantage, pointing his gun to the ground. However, Bull reacted to this, firing his gun a little early. The shells scattered into Rosa's right leg, the woman yelping on her way to the ground.

Bull didn't waste a second, landing an overhead blow to her skull. A few leaves floated to the ground beside her. The botanist's breaths were heavy and staggered. She had been beaten; she had been outboxed.

Her eyes painfully looked up at Bull, the boss of Retropolis grinning at her. He had bruises and scrapes across his face, a hand rubbing a sore forming along his liver. "Not bad, haven't had to go all out in years." He reloaded his gun, "Any last words?"

Rosa groaned something; a word just barely audible due to Bull's proximity. "Dionaea"

"No idea who that is but," he placed his gun against her head. "I'll be sure to send them your regards." He pulled the trigger, obliterating Rosa's face. Nearly a geyser of blood flying into the air. As the smoke cleared, Rosa's body laid face down. Her pink plant seemed to swallow her head and wrap around her body. Bull decided to let the plant mourn its lost loved one rather than basking in his victory.

He looked around, realizing their entire bout happened behind the comfort of that circular table. He walked past to see the fight between Bibi and Bo. The chieftain was currently holding Bibi off as he used another table as cover.

"You coward!" Bibi shouted as she attempted another rush. Bo's arrows exploded at her feet causing the batter to retreat to safety.

"To call my strategy cowardly is a grievous misuse of the word coward."

"I'm about to grievously misuse my bat against your head," she shouted through gritted teeth. She peaked her head again only to recoil from another round of explosions.

"Yo, sup little cuz?" Bull casually strolled beside her, taking a seat against the table she hid behind. "How's it going?"

"Older than you, and…" another set of explosions shook their table. "How do you think it's going?"

Bull peaked his head over the edge, "Bo, my little cousin been giving ya some trouble?"

"She has been a worthy adversary. It's a shame that I must dispose of her."

Bull smiled at her, "I think he likes you."

"Put a sock in it!" She looked over the table, "What's the plan?"

Bull thought for a second, "Got a bubble?" She opened her mouth signally a lack of gum, "Damn. Then how about we take some advice from your old allies the Germans."

"Blitzkrieg?"

Bull chuckled, "I was thinking a war on two fronts but…" He ejected a steaming shell from his gun, "That works too."

They broke from their cover in opposite directions. Bibi taking the side closer to the exit while Bull rushed closer to the center of the diner. Bo was calm in his response, taking his time to focus his fire on Bibi. She was the faster opponent, slowing her down would make it easier to deal with Bull. However, Bull wasn't as slow as he seemed.

While his cousin had him beat in the speed department all that extra weight wasn't a hindrance to him, it was a handicap for everyone that fought him. He rushed forward, holding his gun close to his chest as he smiled in Bo's direction. He didn't know why Bo left him alone, but he was going to take full advantage.

He ran forward, taking a deep turn so he could see Bo before he turned the corner. Just as he got a look at his face, he paused his rush. Bo was looking at him out the corner of his eye, a smarmy smirk across his lips.

He paused at the sound of a faint ticking. A bright light emanating from under his feet. He looked downward, his body between two circular disks. When he looked back up, Bo waved at him then refocused on Bibi.

Bull smiled back, muttering, "Clever boy."

The explosions from these mines were three times as powerful as the tips of his arrows. The feeling of metal shards and brimstone puncturing his skin and tearing at his flesh was unbearable. The shockwave from the blast bounced him backward, the boss landing on his rear in a heap.

He reached backward to stand up, only for another time bomb to explode under his wrist. He stumbled away to gain some distance, his hand bloody and numb. He took a step, closely inspecting his surroundings. There didn't seem to be any more bombs insight.

He dropped to a knee, taking a short breather. When he looked back up, his face was assaulted by the explosive tips of Bo's arrows. Bo smiled his way as he returned his attention to Bibi's approaching assault.

Bull blindly walked backward, his body colliding with the bar's countertop. He spilled over the edge, laying behind the drinks cabinet. He tried to stand up, but his eyes were still blinded from the blast. A fuzzy image of the diner was the only thing he could make out. That alongside someone sitting at the counter before him.

"Sup."

He noticed his dark skin, his tattered clothes, and a pair of dark shades atop his head. "Brock?" he groaned.

"Wassup," the abandoned minion took a sip of his drink. "You're having fun."

"Useless bastard…" Bull tried to stand but his legs gave out under him. "Get out there and help-"

"I'm gonna stop ya right there," he hopped out of his seat, flicking some liquid into Bull's disgruntled face. The boss swung at the air, missing Brock wildly. "I'm not working for you anymore," he poured his drink out on Bull's head. "Consider that my official resignation."

He smoothly walked past the carnage of Bibi and Bo. He noticed Rosa's lifeless body, cringing from what he saw but choosing not to get involved. A few random blades fell to his feet but that didn't stop him, his destination was simple. A nearby wall that had been practically untouched and right next to an outlet. He plugged up his phone, sat back, and enjoyed the show.

Bull tried to get over the counter, but his body had given out long ago. All he could do was lay down and grumble his frustrations as he passed out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This note should register on an emotional level. First, address the unfortunate tragedy. Next, try to redirect focus with a funny footnote. Then, re-establish an emotional undertone with a heartfelt farewell to the story. Finally, end with signature catchphrase. BEGIN.
> 
> Rosa may be the most powerful woman in Brawl Stars, but Bull's raw power won today. And with that, we say goodbye to the queen of PvP. But look on the bright side, at least Leon didn't kill Brock. Well, I can't really respond to comments/reviews this chapter since I already did in the last chapter so let me say this. We have one chapter left. We're Keeping Her is about to end. In one week we shall be saying goodbye to what has honestly been one of my favorite stories to write. Fighter's Story will always have a special place in my heart as the ultimate story of the brawlers and their personalities. But I would like to think I did a good job of creating an interesting story with amazing interactions for all the characters. I would also like to believe I may have one-uped some of my previous fight scenes with this story. (God I wish I could draw/animate so I could see some of these scenes visually. Especially Nita vs The Wolves in Chapter 4 of Fighter's Story[If you haven't read Fighter's Story you totally should it's pretty awesome.]) But alas all good things must end and so must this story. So with that I would like to say, thank you for reading another one of...
> 
> Sammy's Silly Scripts  
> I'll see you next week.


	11. Heels and Faces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Tumultuous Conclusion to We're Keeping Her!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun Fact: Heels and Faces refer to the two types of characters in professional wrestling. More importantly, a heel is the 'bad guy' and a face is the 'good guy' but the crowd decides who to root for. When a good guy turns bad, it's called a heel turn. And I like to call bad guys turning good, face swap.

Pitch black darkness was all he could see. The dust particles floating around him more visible than the enemy he was fighting. He could hear his light footsteps landing on the different beams. His ears trying their best to pinpoint his opponent's location.

He heard another set of feet land off to his right. His body moved naturally, sending four blades into the darkness. He hissed when he heard them colliding with the roof's support beams.

His head searched for any sign of the bird. He made out the image of Crow dashing to another beam, but when he turned to face him, he was gone. His movements were silent, like a cat landing on the carpet. His body was hidden, like a mouse running through a field. To put it bluntly, he was almost invisible.

Meanwhile, Leon stood in the middle of a black room wearing bright green and yellow. Like a highlighter in a sea of black sharpies. He stuck out like a sore thumb.

While Crow's movements were perfectly hidden, his daggers made more noise in the silence. With the speed he threw them and the amazing craftsmanship of his blades, Leon was able to hear them cutting through the air.

His ear picked up on another volley aimed in his direction, quickly leaping to another nearby board. He sent a few blades in the direction of Crow's attack, the boy biting his lip when he saw his attack helplessly fall to the diner below.

He followed the blades, noticing that the monster Bull was hiding behind a table. Bo was keeping him pinned behind the wall with a storm of explosive arrows. His eyes crept to Rosa, the botanist trading blows with the bat-wielding woman. From his position, it looked as though Bo and Rosa were winning. That meant he needed to win his fight.

"Focus."

Leon turned to the voice, only to get a face full of Crow's fist and getting launched off his beam. He contorted his body, latching onto another beam at the last second. He dangled there, his legs helplessly flailing above the diner. He looked down, it was roughly a twenty-five or thirty-foot drop onto unforgiving wood.

He tried lifting himself, only for one of his hands to be pierced by another dagger. He let go, now holding on with just one hand. He tried to pull himself up again, but more daggers flew his way. The boy's body twisted and turned uncomfortably to avoid the fan of attacks. He looked for Crow, finding the bird staring down at him, a smirk across his beak. "Not bad, but not good enough."

Crow lunged towards him, his feet aiming for Leon's supporting hand. The boy mustered up the strength to flip his body back up onto the beam. Crow was already mid-flight, leaving him helpless to the kick Leon planted into his chest.

Leon watched as Crow landed on another beam, quickly shifting to a vertical position and gathering his breath. Leon readied more blades but paused at a new sound. A low and unsettling noise. Like laughter coming from a wildebeest.

Crow looked at him with a terrifying smile, then hopped into the darkness. Leon's blood froze, he tried his best to understand what he saw but didn't have time to think.

"Not bad, kid." He heard the voice originate from behind him, but Crow was just ahead. How did he move so fast? "You're an impressive fighter," Leon turned around again. The voice had somehow leaped to a new location. Another unsettling laugh leaked out the darkness, "Much like your sister."

"You leave her out of this!" Leon sent a few blades in the direction of the voice. Just as his blades flew, three daggers buried themselves in his back.

He could feel them slowly fall from his smaller frame, alongside a thin trail of his blood. His adrenaline allowed him to ignore the pain and send a volley of blades in Crow's direction. When he heard them collide with the wood, Crow laughed merrily to his right.

"You are a great fighter, but there's one reason why you'll never beat me." Leon turned so that his body was watching the angle Crow spoke from and the opposite direction his attacks would come from. His head on a swivel to try and catch any incoming attacks. He never saw the knives flying from his front, slashing at his gut.

He crumbled on the beam, holding onto his new wounds. He checked the blood staining his hands, a light green substance mixed with the crimson red.

Crow appeared before him. His hands in his pocket; his black eyes were two cold, emotionless husks. "You aren't an assassin."

Leon sent another volley of blades. Crow was barely able to deflect most of the attacks, a single blade slicing at his leather jacket's sleeve. "Yep, a great fighter. But not an assassin."

Leon's breath was staggered, "Why? Why do I feel weak?"

"Poison." Crow readied another dagger. "Your body is much weaker than Rosa's. You couldn't survive a fraction as long as she. You need stealth with your weaker body."

"You coward. Who uses poison?"

He held the final dagger above his head, "A real killer." Crow paused for a second, "As a professional's courtesy… any last words?"

Leon muttered, "Take care of Nita, please."

Crow's heart stopped. He hadn't thought about her. What would Nita think if she found out he killed her brother? He wouldn't be able to live with himself if he made Nita cry.

With a frustrated breath, he put the dagger away, calmly walking away from the boy. Leon looked up in confusion, "What? What are you doing?"

Crow looked over his shoulder, "I'm letting you live."

Leon was flabbergasted, "Why?"

Crow looked below him; he could see most of the carnage that had taken place below. He could see Rosa laying lifeless on the floor, Bull was in a heap behind the bar, Bibi and Bo were currently at each other's throats, and he swore he saw Brock sitting in the corner. "You're not a threat to me."

Leon's breath caught; he couldn't believe what he heard. He was being pitied. Crow continued his statement, "Let's make a deal, you can visit her once a month and she'll be able to come to your village any day she wants. That way you two won't be apart forever. How's that sound?"

Leon's blood was boiling, "No." Crow didn't turn around, he just silently listened. "No deal. She's my sister…" Leon shouted at the top of his lungs, "And you won't take her away from me!"

Crow blew a frustrated breath, 'Forgive me Panda Bear.' He turned around, "Then you'll live on in her memories." He looked at Leon's position, but the boy had disappeared. He calmly scanned the darkness, his eyes easily able to see everything around him. Yet somehow the boy had vanished, only a wavering cloud of smoke where he once stood.

He grew a little flustered as he tried to find the boy's body, sounds of him hopping around could be heard, but his position was hidden from his eyes.

"You said that I lacked the abilities of an assassin." Crow turned to the voice, precisely launching daggers into the air. They crashed against the wood followed by Leon's soft laughter. "That I needed stealth to defeat you. Well tell me, Crow," he could feel a warm breath on his neck. "Am I an assassin now?"

He swiftly slashed at the air, the boy's mirage glistening for a second as he escaped once again. His mind tried to process the magic he was witnessing. What was this trick, how could it be possible? His mind tried to reason through the boy's technique, a key memory popping up suddenly.

He saw himself sitting in the storage room on Nita's blown-up mattress. The girl wrapped up in his arms as he processed his newfound love for her. He remembered saying, 'I'll always be there. Even if you can't see me.'

Then he remembered her response, the words that he couldn't process at the time. 'You can turn invisible? Just like my brother?'

Crow couldn't believe it; the boy could turn invisible. So many questions rushed through his mind. How did he learn to do this? How was this even possible? Could he learn this technique?

He couldn't think for long, the boy continued to speak to him. His childish tone like nails on a chalkboard as he toyed with the older male. Crow's daggers flew like the wind but continued to fall short of their target. This child's voice continued its naggy taunts as Crow lost all control over his emotions. That same emotional mess that he once was years ago had come out once again. He lost control of his actions, his instincts taking over.

"Enough!" Crow filled his hands with daggers, fanning them in a circle around him as he leaped into the sky. He tried to find evidence of Leon's location but there was nothing to be found. As he landed on a distant beam, he fanned more blades in a circle around him. He closely observed his surroundings.

A drop of blood, a shred of green cloth, even a little bit of his poison dripping off a beam would count as a sign. But there was nothing, nothing except this stinging pain in his left leg. He looked down, noticing a blade protruding from his leg. Upon inspecting the wound, he started to process the peril. This blade was buried four inches deep into his calf.

He reached down to pull it out, only to feel another blade sinking deep into his back. He didn't have a chance to cry out in pain as another hand clamped his beak shut. His eyes were shakey as he watched the hand slowly rest on his chest. Its touch soft and gentle, yet the tone of the interaction screamed violent and deadly. Leon's face shimmered into existence, a sickening smile plastered across his face. "Who's the killer now?"

He softly pushed Crow back first off the beam. The world slowing down as he made his descent. Leon jumped off as well, sending a blade into each of his appendages on his way down. Each blade reached deep into his bones, but the real torture was the feeling of his body crashing against the floor. The blade in his back submerging into his body.

The filthy crack of his hollowed bones hitting the ground caused Bibi and Bo to pause. They watched Crow's body laying on the ground, his lungs painfully trying to get air to his brain. Bibi moved away from Bo, rushing to Crow's side. "Bird-Brain?! Get up!"

Before she could reach him, Leon crashed into his lungs feet first. She could hear his bones snapping as a volcano of blood spewed from his mouth. His pupils disappearing and his body freezing.

Leon looked at her from under his hoodie, that singular green eye filled with malice. "I don't think he's getting up."

Bibi stepped away slowly. Crow was legally dead; his body was broken beyond repair and his mind was unresponsive to stimulus. She looked to the bar, remembering Bull had fallen behind it a while ago. She was nervous when she didn't see him moving. At that moment, she had a shocking realization.

She was alone. All her teammates had been utterly defeated. She looked to Crow, the green hooded boy stepping off his body and walking to her slowly. She turned around seeing Bo was approaching as well.

She brought her bat up to her chest, wincing in pain from the seared flesh along her arm. Her legs felt like jelly and her grip on her bat was getting weaker. Meanwhile, Leon and Bo looked ready to rumble. These inhuman beings continuing to push their advantage over her.

Her head sunk as she tried to think. She weighed the consequences of her actions. Why was this happening to them? Then she remembered what she was fighting for. The little girl that shined a light on her mostly dull life. A little girl that made working at the diner worth it. That made being a criminal seem reasonable if she could provide for her.

She looked at the two males, both had grown closer. There was a complacent look on Bo's face while a slight smirk graced Leon's lips. Bo spoke first, "Ms. Bibi with your bat of metal. You have fought well, but this fight is over. Give up now or suffer a crushing defeat."

Bibi's grip on her bat loosened. They could see her muscles relaxing, a small frown forming on her face. Leon gladly continued, "Crow threw me the professional courtesy of giving me a way out. As you can see…" he motioned to Crow's lifeless body. "I didn't take it. But you could be smarter, just give up now, and give me my sister."

Bibi's muscles flexed again. An angry scowl forming along her face, "How dare you…"

Leon was perplexed, "How dare we?"

Bibi showed her face, tears rolling down her cheeks. "How dare you take her away from me?!"

"Take her from you? You stole her from us!"

Bibi choked for a second, "I know… I know… but I can't lose her." She felt so confused.

Leon was getting angry, "Stop pretending like you care about her. You were going to pawn her off to us for a quick profit. You didn't even want to take her initially; you were after me and messed up."

"And it was the best mistake our men ever made." Bibi relaxed, letting her bat rest at her side. She looked at Bo, her eyes soft and pleading. "Before she came, all I did was argue and fight with everyone around me. I didn't have anything to be proud of, I was alone. Other women would snicker behind my back saying, 'Look at forever alone, taking her rage out on every guy she meets.' 'She'll never find a family like that.' I would see mothers walking into the diner, enjoying a meal with their daughters, and giggling about some ridiculous show they watched the other day. And secretly, I wanted that too. Now I have this little bundle of joy to talk to. This adorable child that I can take care of as my own. She's the daughter I could never have. My light in a sea of darkness." She looked to Leon, "Please don't take my sunshine from me."

Leon spat out a wad of blood, "Before she was your sunshine, she was my sister."

Bo spoke up, "Before she was your daughter, she was my youngling." He pulled back an arrow, "You are not her family, you're a parasite feeding on her for joy."

Bibi's eyes were crazed spirals. Her brain trying to understand what they were saying. "No… I love her."

Leon drew his blades, "You don't love her, you love how she makes you feel. And once she stops being what you think she is, you'll dispose of her like trash."

Bibi covered her ears to block them out, "No! She's my precious baby. I would never-"

"Enough!" Bo silenced Bibi's pleading. "You have talked enough, either give us our girl or lose your life."

Bibi curled inward, soft heaving leaving her chest. So many thoughts were flooding her mind. What if they were right? What if this love was fabricated? Was she just a bother to Nita? Did her panda bear actually hate her?

Bo was frustrated, in a lapse of judgment he spoke again. "Look at you, you have broken apart like a dandelion in the wind. Your weak mind shows your true emotions."

His words triggered something within her. She sucked in her sobs, "Fine…" She stood tall, wiping the tears from her cheeks then slammed her bat against the ground, "Then bring it on! You want my panda, take her from my cold dead hands."

She rushed toward Bo, her bat low to the ground for a decapitating swing to the skull. Her breath caught when she felt several blades lodge into her back. As time slowed down she could hear Leon behind her. The boy softly responding, "So be it," as he pushed her forward.

Three explosions crashed against her chest and face. Her flesh searing and flames running through her body. She lost her grip on her bat, the metal falling at the same speed as her. She lied down lifeless, her eyes white and her breath disappearing.

Bo and Leon stood over her, both with a somber look on their face. Leon was excited to fight the woman, but he knew what they did was necessary. This woman wouldn't have stopped even if they cut off her limbs.

Bo calmly inspected their surroundings; he saw the lifeless bodies of Crow and Bibi. The way they laid there, it seemed as though their hands were stretched out in the same direction. One was directed at a random spot in the room, the other pointed at each other. It was as if they were reaching out to the other in their dying breaths. Perhaps they looked at each other as the parents of Nita. To Bo, it was a shame that people with such kind hearts would have to be eliminated to correct the course of this world. Bo's eyes followed the angle their other hands pointed. He saw a little toe sticking out from behind a booth.

He nodded to Leon, the boy understanding as he started moving away from him. He looked around the diner, the wood was ripped to shreds in several spots. There were dented metal and tattered clothes across all the booths around them. He could even feel a faint rumble growing beneath his feet.

He wondered if there was an earthquake until the shaking grew closer. He turned to Leon, the boy flinching in his direction. Bo turned around; his face swallowed up by a massive hand. The force that lifted him continued rushing forward, picking up Leon with his other hand.

They both swung wildly trying to fight his grasp but ultimately just hitting a brick wall of humanity. This brick wall proceeded to drive them through the brick and mortar of the diner's exterior wall. The debris scattering across the cold lonely road outside. They were both launched into the middle of the street, their bodies beaten and bruised with an all-new world of pain coursing through their heads.

Bo was able to move first, looking up to see Bull's massive frame towering over them. As he stood up, some of the gravel and dust rolled off his shoulders. His knuckles were raw and his smile wild, "Call me the Bulldozer cause I just leveled your ass!"

Bo reached for his bow but couldn't find it. He saw it sitting inside the diner where he was initially snatched up by the monster. He tried to stand up, but Bull fired off a round in his direction. The blood that shot from the newly opened woods splattered onto Leon, the boy waking up from the foreign liquid.

He reached out to help Bo, but Bull stepped on the boy's fingers. "You're not gonna be throwing anything else for the rest of your life." Leon writhed in pain under his weight. It was as if a cinder block had fallen from twenty stories and directly onto his wrist. Bull holstered his gun, "Don't worry, you won't live much longer."

Bo jumped up, decking him in the chin with a right hook. Bull just snorted, gripping Bo's arm. "What are you gonna do?" He lifted Bo by his arm, then punched him in the gut with all his strength. The archer's tongue rolled out his mouth, desperately gasping for air.

Bo crumbled to the floor, allowing Bull to drop a thunderous foot across his spine. Watching the two men beneath him writhing in pain was the best thing he'd seen tonight. He started laughing maniacally, his voice causing many of the people across the streets to wake up. Lights turned on and heads peaked out of windows to inspect the scene. There were several large gasps as they noticed the bloodied body of Bull and his two victims.

Bull noticed the crowd he had gathered, choosing to address the public. "Let this be a lesson to all of you." He picked Leon up by his skull, the boy dangling for everyone to observe. His blood-stained hoodie standing out like a star in the sky, "I am still the same monster that took over this town years ago. Just because I have become kinder to you does not mean you may test my patience. I will obliterate all who oppose me!"

Hushed whispers grew to scattered shouts at the scene. He could hear his loyalists shouting his name and praising him for his victory. There were groups in the crowd that voice their disdain, mostly for how he was treating the child in his clutches.

Leon mustered up some courage and spoke, "This isn't over…"

Bull snickered at his statement, "I have completely destroyed you and your leader."

"We still… have Rosa."

"HA! The plant woman? I killed her ages ago."

Bo and Leon flinched at the declaration, "You… killed her?"

"What's wrong, kid? Is it that hard to believe? Is it hard to believe that I blew her head off in one shot? The pain she felt as her life was stolen from her in one swift motion? Or maybe you want to know how it felt when her plant wrapped around her cold dead corpse?" He increased the strength of his grip, Leon letting out a painful screech as his skull was being squished in his palm. "I could show you."

Bo slowly spoke, "Her plant… wrapped around her head?"

"The poor thing was trying to comfort its dead owner. I almost felt bad… almost." He said that with a grin, though he remembered the actual events and internally cursed himself for doing such a thing. He still felt bad for what he had to do now, but they were going to take her from him. And he refused to lose her.

A low chuckle filled the night sky. Bull observed himself and noticed that he hadn't started laughing yet. He looked at his feet, Bo was smiling up at him, "What's so funny?" He heard Leon start laughing as well. His grip loosening at the strange behavior. "I said," he punched Leon in the kidney, a guttural screech leaving his body. "What's so funny?"

Bo spoke up, "It's not his fault. It's just… you see we have many rules in our village. Not quite like the laws of your society." He coughed lightly as he rolled over on his back, "But words to the wise for everyone to remember."

Still in his grasp, Leon continued the statement for him. His voice gurgled from the blood filling his throat, "One of those rules is the rules of combat. They're advice for people who have to fight inside or outside the village."

Bo continued, "Rules such as, 'Range is deceptive'. And, 'Just because they are unseen, does not mean they aren't there'."

Leon laughed out his next line, "But the number one rule of them all is…"

Bull felt a hand tap his shoulder. He turned his cheek into a jaw-shattering left hook, his body falling limp to the floor. He checked his jaw, feeling a crack running along the edge of his chin. He painfully turned his head to look at his attacker, a woman with dark-brown skin and purple clothes staring down at him.

She popped her knuckles and spat a wad of blood-filled mucus on the ground beside him. Her British voice calmly stating, "Don't box Rosa."

Bull was terrified, "How? How did you?"

The pink plant around Rosa's head retracted, the vines that were wrapped around her wounds growing smaller as well. She had a sweet smile across her face as she patted the little plant, "Dionaea. It's short for Dionaea Muscipula, aka The Venus Fly Trap." The sentient plant rubbed its head against her palm.

She suddenly doubled over, clutching at the wounds along her stomach. Bo limped towards her, "Are you okay?"

She brought up her hand, her palms were red. "I'll be fine," a stream of blood leaked from her scalp. "I just need to finish this."

Bull watched in horror as the woman slowly approached him. He reached for his holstered gun, only for Rosa to crush his arm under her foot. She pulled him up from his prone position, then proceeded to pound his face into the pavement.

With each punch a new pool of blood formed beneath him. The crowd cringing as they watched the brutality. Bo calmly walked inside, grabbing his bow and returning to watch Bull's punishment.

In the middle of the street, Leon proceeded to slice up Bull's body while Rosa held him still. The boss of Retropolis's torture was free for everyone to see. A few loyalists tried to stop them, going as far as throwing items or rushing down to join the fight.

They were quickly dispatched by Bo's arrows. Their weaker bodies crumbling under the power of his explosions. "This has nothing to do with you people. This demon must pay for his sins."

Bull quietly accepted his punishment; the razor blades the boy used were slicing him up like a tender cut of steak. The blood that flowed from him caused him to get lightheaded. He could feel himself getting weaker with each passing second.

Rosa kicked his legs out from under him. The boss now on his knees as Rosa held his skull by his hair. She angled his chin upward, exposing his neck to the world.

Leon's blade rested against his jugular, a menacing smile across his face. Bo rested his hand on his shoulder, the boy pausing from administering the final cut. "Bull, you are the leader of this city. As a leader myself, I shall give you one final chance. Give us the girl."

Bull's eyes were glazed over, his breath raspy and his heartbeat slow. He moved as if molasses had replaced his blood. Like his veins were vines slowly growing on a tree. With his last ounce of strength, in a final show of defiance, he flipped Bo off.

The chieftain shook his head, nodded to Leon, then turned away from the slaughter. He couldn't see what happened, but he heard a blunt blow rather than a swift slice. When he turned around, he saw Nita slowly setting Bull's body on the floor. Rosa was laying on the asphalt, clutching her hip while Leon stared dumbfoundedly.

"Nita!" Leon threw his blade to the side, "Get away from him."

Nita stood between Leon and Bull, "He's done. You win. Now leave him alone."

Leon approached her, "Do you have any idea what they did to you?"

"They kidnapped me when they were looking for you. They held me up for ransom and then they went back on their promise."

Leon and Bo paused, "So you do understand? Then why are you helping him?!"

Nita looked over her shoulder, Bull was still trying to recover from the beating. "He's not as bad as he looks."

Bo stepped up, "There is no one as villainous as this man."

"He took care of me while I was here."

Leon pushed ahead of Bo, "You're wearing handcuffs!"

"They look cool."

"Nita, get away from him. Now!"

Nita whimpered, "Promise you won't hurt him."

"What?"

"Promise you won't hurt him!" She was more assertive with her tone.

Leon was going to yell at her, but Rosa placed a hand on his shoulder. The boy quieted down allowing Bo to speak up, "We shall not harm him anymore, my child." Nita slowly put her arms down, joining them at Bo's side. "Good, now let us take our leave."

He turned around, slowly walking down the sidewalk the way they came. The crowd of bystanders continued their outrage, throwing more trash into the street but keeping a safe distance from the trio. He noticed Leon and Rosa walking close behind, but Nita was not near them. He turned around to see Nita still looking at Bull's body, "Nita?"

She was unresponsive.

"Nita. We're leaving."

"…no."

Leon was enraged, "What?!"

"I said no!" she had her fists balled up at her side. "I'm not leaving him."

Leon grabbed her arm, "You are not doing this now."

She ripped her hand from his grip, turning around with tearful eyes. "I'm not going with you."

Leon was flabbergasted. What is wrong with her? Why is she acting like this? What did they do to her? "Nita what are you doing?"

"I'm protecting my friend."

Bo placed a hand on Leon's shoulder, whispering into his ear. "Calm down, son. I've heard of this, it is called, 'Stockholm Syndrome'. Allow me to handle it." He cleared his throat, "Nita, my child, I see something is wrong with you. It would seem as though these people have done something to you. Warped your mind. Allow-"

"They didn't do anything to me!" They stood silently for a second. All persons allowing these statements to digest.

It didn't take Leon long to speak up, "Why are you protecting these monsters?"

"You're the monsters!" All the observers were on the edge of their seats. Their intrigue peaked at the girl's protest. "All you've done is fight since you got here." She looked to Leon, "When Papa Crow approached you, you threw blades at him and the other people inside."

Rosa and Bo looked at each other. The word 'Papa' throwing up some alarms.

Nita continued, "When Mama Bibi told Leon to put me down, he punched her in the back of the head. In the rafters, Leon crushed Papa Crow even after he won. You teamed up and hurt my Mama. And now all three of you are beating on Uncle Bull. You're a bunch of monsters!"

Rosa took her time approaching her, "Nita, those people aren't your parents." She tried to place a hand on her head, but the girl smacked it away.

"And neither are you. I don't have any parents. The only family I have is Leon." She looked at her brother, a disgusted frown across her shadowed face. Her mind remembering the horrors he committed in all his battles, "And I don't even know him anymore."

Leon's heart shattered. He didn't think about what Nita would think from watching his fights. He was filled with so much rage. he didn't care how atrocious the acts were he committed. "Nita you have to understand-"

"No! You killed Papa Crow!" She looked to Bo, "You both killed Mama Bibi! And all of you are trying to kill Uncle Bull!"

"…P-anda?"

They all turned at Bull's voice. His gurgled call was low and painful. Nita instantly ran to his side, laying his head on her tiny lap. "Uncle?"

"H-ey kid. How's it going?"

A tear rolled down her eye, "I'm okay, Uncle."

"That's good. Your brother's here to see you." He groggily turned to the three Tribal Terrors, "There they are." Nita tried to stop him from speaking but he kept fighting, "How's Bibi and Crow."

She couldn't stop her tears, "They're gone. Just like my real Mama and Papa." She cried over his head, her tears entering his open wounds.

He gritted through the pain, reaching his hand up to hold her face. "Kid… in their eyes. They were your real Mama and Papa." Nita tried her best to hold back the tears, but Bull wasn't done talking. He gave her a genuine smile, not his faux grin to please the crowd or secure a deal. He was truly happy as he said, "These past seven days we've had with you, has been the best week of our lives."

Nita buried her face in Bull's neck. Her screeching cry waking everyone on the block. The boos from the crowd were like fuel to Leon's fire. His anger growing as he watched his sister mourn the end of that bastard Bull. "How dare you?" He muttered over the roaring discourse of the crowd, "How dare you…" he dashed past Bo.

"Leon don't!"

"How dare you take my sister from me!" Leon saw red. The only feeling he could process was revenge. He was face to face with Bull, a blade in his hand ready to slice his throat. However, his rush was quickly silenced. A small fist colliding with his cheek and launching him away from Bull.

Rosa and Bo watched as Leon's body skidded into the middle of the road. There wasn't a sound from her attack, she just knocked him out. Nita softly laid Bull's head on the ground. She walked between Bull and the Ardacians, a low growl escaping her throat. Bull gained a little of his energy back at the sound. A sound he was all too aware of. He lifted a little, trying to better see Nita's form. "Kid?"

She didn't give him a response.

"Nita!" the girl peaked over her shoulder; he could only see her sharp white eyes. "Don't do it. They're your family."

She looked back at them, "…no." When she turned back to Bull she had a bright smile on her face, "You're my family."

She faced her new opponents, the two adults readying themselves for a final fight. Their bodies were battered and sore. Their bones fractured and their organs damaged. However, Nita was fresh as a daisy and ready to fight till the end.

She dropped down on all four, her teeth sharpening and her mind breaking. Everyone watching shuddered at the sight, a black and white aura spilling off her body. Rosa and Bo had seen this before, this strange light that would spew from her when she was enraged. However last time she'd done this, the aura was a maroon red. They had no idea what black and white would entail.

Her body writhed for a second like something was squirming through her blood vessels. The black and white aura solidified around her arms. They seemed to grow larger like they were increasing the muscle mass in her body.

The aura wrapped around her in a mostly white ball. They noticed a tiny ball wagging back and forth around her rear. Two giant paws ripped from her arms, using her shoulders as a brace to push upward. This strange creature that seemed to be fighting its way out of the girl, ripped its head out of her skull. Everyone gasping at the image.

Staring at Rosa and Bo was a giant panda bear. The creature's face was docile as if to show no harm. It continued to grow until it stood an extra body over Nita, the beast calmly standing at her side while Nita stretched her limbs. She got into a combative stance, her hands working as makeshift claws for attacks. The bear beside her let out a ferocious roar, signaling it was ready to fight.

Rosa leaned into Bo, "I thought Bruce was a red bear?"

"It would seem as though he takes the form that best suits her. Right now, she has decided to accept this new world. Which means she needs a new bear."

Rosa wasn't fully understanding this new appearance, but either way, she knew what she had to do. "Cover me. I'll handle Bruce." Rosa began her careful approach, Bo following close behind.

Nita nodded to her new ally, the creature slowly moving forward. Bruce was not like the humans around him, he didn't waste time with words. He quickly threw a punch at Rosa, the botanist blocking it with ease. She threw two short jabs to the bear's chest. The beast casually absorbing the blows.

They continued this interaction; Rosa throwing ultimately fruitless attacks and Bruce continuously attempting attacks only for Rosa to block or dodge. That is until Nita got involved. Her shockwaves came from strange angles, the attacks knocking Rosa off her feet and allowing Bruce to land clean hits.

Bo turned to Nita, "My child please!" Nita turned to him with an angry scowl, "I do not wish to hurt you."

Nita didn't give him a response; she just ran towards him. With a heavy heart, Bo released his arrows into Nita's chest. The girl getting swallowed up in the explosions.

The crowd's reaction was general outrage. Many people taking their furniture and throwing it into the road in hopes of hitting Bo. He understood now, Nita had not just found friendship in Bull and his men. She had grown closer to this entire town.

"Bo!" Rosa's voice was desperate and repressed. He turned to see her prone on the ground, Bruce wailing on her unhindered as she and Dionaea tried their best to defend against his attacks.

Bo readied more arrows until he noticed something strange. With every attack Bruce landed, a green wisp flew from his body. These strange airy orbs swiftly floating to the cloud of explosions. "No…"

Bursting from the darkness was Nita's tiny fist. The girl smashing Bo's face inward with a superman punch. He dropped his bow and sprawled to the ground, the girl pounding away on his defensive ball.

Bruce and Nita continued their ground-and-pound offensive as the crowd cheered around them. Nita wasn't listening to their cheers, she was being fueled by the imagine of Crow and Bibi's lifeless bodies. The concept of Bull following them to the great beyond. She stopped her onslaught abruptly as a new color filled the mostly dark street.

Red and blue lights were flashing as many high-pitched sirens could be heard in the distance. Nita made an executive decision, whistling for Bruce to stop his attacks. She dragged Leon's still unconscious body on top of Bo, the chieftain looking at her for an explanation. "Go. Those men take away people like us." Bruce placed Rosa beside him, "Take Leon and go home. Never come back."

Rosa spoke up, "But what about you?"

She smiled down at them, "This is my new home."

Bo didn't know what to say. He didn't know what to do. This girl that he swore to raise after her parents' demise, was abandoning her home. The sirens were growing louder, the lights brighter. He did something he swore to never do again.

He picked up Leon and walked away.

Rosa followed close behind, her plant waving at Nita as a final goodbye. Nita gladly returned the kindness, watching as they disappeared into the horizon.

She and Bruce returned to Bull, the bear using his impressive size and strength to hold him up. Bull groggily turned to Nita, "Who called the cops?"

"That would be me, sir." They both turned to see one of the female waiters exiting the hole Bull left in the wall. "When we heard the fight most of us left, but I stayed and called the police. I know you said to never call the cops, but it looked like you were going to get hurt." Bull and Nita stared at her blankly, "Please don't fire me."

Bull let out a raspy laugh, "Fire you? You're getting a raise."

A few officers approached them, one escorting Bull to a squad car as they radioed for an EMT. Most of the officers were nervous to approach the giant beast but seeing Nita interact with it was enough for them to understand the situation.

When the ambulances arrived, Nita sat in the same car as Bull watching as a nurse tended to his injuries. Bruce sat outside the car awaiting orders from Nita. Her heart sunk when she saw two more cars pull up and wheel Crow and Bibi's ruined bodies away. Bull gathered the strength to rest a hand on her head, "I'm sure they'll be alright. I wouldn't hire 'em if I didn't think they could take a beating."

Nita smiled the best she could. She knew he was lying, but she appreciated the kindness. However, no amount of kind words would stop her from remembering the horrifying beating she witnessed.

Bull tried his best to help her, "Hey, you're a good kid." He didn't know if that helped. Comforting people wasn't something he had a lot of practice in. Especially not someone he cared about.

Nita smiled warmly at him, taking his hand and rubbing her cheek against his palm. "I'm your kid now."

"And I'll be the best Papa possible."

"Promise?"

He showed her his bandaged chest. A patch of gauze was strapped above his heart, "Cross my heart."

The paramedic smiled as she watched the two comfort each other. They looked like a real family to her, she decided to allow them some space. Carefully maneuvering past the giant bear and lightly shutting the door behind her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So we are done. This is the end of We're Keeping Her. Thank you for reading. It has been a pleasure to write this story and I have to be honest; might have enjoyed this story more than Fighter's Story. But that's because the pacing of this story was allowed to be a little faster, didn't have to do too much long-term storytelling for this little gem. But yeah that's how the story ends, Rosa survives a near-death experience, Crow and Bibi are brutally killed while trying to fight for their adopted child, and Nita makes a drastic life decision based on her own warped view of reality (she is just a little kid after all).
> 
> No response to reviews this time. So here are some final questions: What did ya think of this short story? Do you think that Nita made the right choice? Should Rosa have stayed dead? Who were the heels and the faces in this story? What was your favorite moment in this story?
> 
> Immortalize your memories in the comments cause this story will never be visited again. And big news, look out cause soon the brawl stars community will be getting a special Christmas-themed story posted by my good friend Queenbookerly! I wonder if she's gonna make Christmas angsty (probably it's kinda her mo).
> 
> Okay, I guess we're done, honestly kind of sad that this is where the story ends. But all good things must come to an end. So I hope you enjoyed (and if you happen to get inspired to draw some awesome fanart [I don't expect it but it'd be uber-cool] send it to this special email I made just for my fanfictions. samlore1985 ).
> 
> Thanks again for reading another one of...
> 
> Sammy's Silly Scripts


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